Financial Sanctions Notice Iran Human Rights 15 September 2023

​Introduction 

1. The Iran (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (the "UK Regulations") were made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 and provide for imposition of financial sanctions, namely the freezing of funds and economic resources of persons who are or have been involved in the commission of a serious human rights violations or abuse in Iran.

2. On 15 September 2023 the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated the UK Sanctions List to reflect changes to those persons designated under the UK Regulations. A link to the UK Sanctions List can be found below.

3. The Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Implementation of External Sanctions) (Jersey) Order 2021 (the "Order"), made under the Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Jersey) Law 2019 ("SAFL"), links to the UK Regulations.

4. Any changes to asset-freeze designations made under the UK Regulations are effective immediately by virtue of the ambulatory provisions in Jersey's sanctions legislation.

5. An asset freeze now applies to the persons and entity listed in the Annex to this Notice under Part 3 of SAFL.

Notice summary (Full details are provided in the Annex to this Notice) 

6. The following designations have been made and are now subject to an asset freeze:

• Saeed Montazer AL-MAHDI (UK Consolidated Group ID: 16086)

• Mohammad Mehdi ESMAILI (UK Consolidated Group ID: 16088)

• Mohammad HASHEMI (UK Consolidated Group ID: 16089)

• Alireza ZAKANI (UK Consolidated Group ID: 16090)

• ARVAN CLOUD (UK Consolidated Group ID: 16087)

What you must do   

7. You must:  

• immediately check whether you maintain any accounts or hold any funds or economic resources for the persons set out in the Annex to this Notice.

• freeze such accounts, and other funds or economic resources without prior notice and without delay.

• refrain from dealing with the funds or assets or making them available (directly or indirectly) to such persons unless licensed by the Minister for External Relations ("MER").

• report any findings to MER, together with any additional information that would facilitate compliance with SAFL.

• any information concerning the frozen assets of designated persons that MER may request. Information reported to MER may be passed on to other regulatory authorities or law enforcement. 

8. Failure to comply with sanctions legislation or to seek to circumvent its provisions is a criminal offence.

Further Information

9. Guidance on unfreezing assets for delisted persons/ entities can be found on the Government of Jersey website.

10. Further information on sanctions can be found on the Government of Jersey website and the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC) website.

11. Jersey guidance on the Iran (Human Rights) sanctions regime is available on JFSC website.

12. Copies of Jersey sanctions legislation, including the Order and SAFL, can be found on the Jersey Legal Information Board website.

13. A copy of the UK Regulations can be obtained from legislation.gov.uk and other relevant information about this regime can be found on gov.uk.

14. The UK Sanctions List.

15. The UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation Consolidated List.

Enquiries

16. Non-media enquiries, sanctions compliance reporting, and licence applications should be addressed to: 

Financial Sanctions Implementation Unit

sanctions@gov.je

Annex

17. Annex to Financial Sanctions Notice Iran (Human Rights) 15 September 2023