December 17, 2025: OFSI modifies 4 sanctions programs

Email notice from UK Government:

Today, 17 December, the UK government has delisted the following 1 individual and 2 entities from the Syria sanctions regime, and one individual from the Syria sanctions regime and Iran Nuclear sanctions regime.

Please note that these delistings remove duplicative designations. All four will remain listed under one of the following regimes: the Iran sanctions regime, the Iran Nuclear sanctions regime, or the Chemical Weapons sanctions regime. Therefore, there is no change in their status as designated persons.

Delisting:

Name:Old Unique ID (Delisted):OFSI Group ID:Unique ID:
 Hossein TAEB SYR008911788IRN0039
Mohammad Ali JAFARI SYR0161 and INU0011 10638IRN0058
ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS CORPS – QODS FORCESYR0310  11241INU0082
SCIENTIFIC STUDIES AND RESEARCH CENTRE (SSRC)SYR0286  12426CHW0006

However, this update shows a weakness of the OFSI notice format. None of the notices have revocation/delisting/removal sections; because each designated party is represented by one listing that doesn’t explicitly say which programs it’s listed under (like OFAC’s program tags), if a party is designated under two programs, and is removed from one, it appears in the OFSI Notices as an amended listed, not a revoked one.

For example, the Syria Notice summary says:

4. The following entries have been removed from the Syria regime, however they remain

subject to an asset freeze under different regimes:

Remaining subject to sanctions under the Iran regime:

• Mohammad Ali JAFARI (Group ID: 10638)

• Hossein TAEB (Group ID: 11788)

1Remaining subject to sanctions under the Iran (Nuclear) regime:

• ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS (IRGC) QODS FORCE (Group ID: 11241)

Remaining subject to sanctions under the Chemical Weapons regime:

• SCIENTIFIC STUDIES AND RESEARCH CENTRE (SSRC) (Group ID: 12426)

But the Annex lists all four parties under an Amendments section. For example:

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES AND RESEARCH CENTRE (SSRC)

a.k.a: (1) Center for Scientific Studies and Research (SSRC) (2) Center for Study and

Research (CERS) (3) Centre de Recherche de Kaboun (4) Centre d’Etude et de Recherche

Scientifique (CERS) (5) Scientific Research Council (SRC) (6) Scientific Studies and

Research Council (7) Syrian Scientific Research Council (SSRC) Address: (1) P.O. Box

31983, Barzeh. (2) Barzeh Street, PO Box 4470, Damascus, Syria. Other Information: (UK

Sanctions List Ref): CHW0006 and SYR0286. Listed under the Chemical Weapons and

Syria sanctions regimes. (UK Statement of Reasons): There are reasonable grounds to

suspect that they are an involved person under the Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations

2019 because they are or have been involved in activities carried out on behalf of the

Assad regime, implementing, or connected to the repressive policies of that regime. In

particular, carrying on prohibited activities related to chemical weapons in Syria. The

Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) is the Syrian regime’s principal entity for

the development of chemical weapons. The SSRC is responsible for the development

and production of chemical weapons, as well as the missiles and artillery to deliver them,

operating at a number of sites in Syria. (Phone number): Telephone: 6668114/5 Telefax:

6620317 (Type of entity): Investment. Private (Subsidiaries): Bena Properties (subsidiary),

Cham Holding Building, Daraa Highway, Ashrafiyat Sahnaya Rif Dimashq, Syria, P.O. Box

59525. Higher Institute for Applied Sciences and Technology. HISAT. National Standards

& Calibration Laboratory. NSCL Listed on: 21/01/2019 UK Sanctions List Date

Designated: 31/12/2020 Last Updated: 25/04/2025 17/12/2025 Group ID: 12426.

Iran Notice

Iran (Nuclear) Notice

Chemical Weapons Notice

Syria Notice

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