August 7, 2026: OFAC Update, Part 1: removals from narcotics program, additions to Iran and counter-terror sanctions


Counter Terrorism and Iran-related Designations; Counter Narcotics Designations Removals; Issuance of Amended Iran-related Frequently Asked Question

Treasury Press Release: Treasury Sanctions Crypto Exchanges Funding Iran’s IRGC and Enabling Illicit Finance

State Press Release: Targeting Digital Asset Exchanges Fueling the Iranian Regime

Treasury Press Release: Treasury Dismantles Iranian Regime’s Global Clandestine Currency Networks

State Press Release: Severing Iran’s Illicit Cash Pipeline

Additions:

The following individuals have been added to OFAC’s SDN List:

OFAC Program: [IRAN-EO13902]  Executive Order 13902

GHASEMPOUR, Saeed

  • AKA: GHASEMPUR, Sa’id
  • Address: Iran
  • DOB: 10 Feb 1980
  • POB: Babol, Iran
  • Nationality: Iran
  • Additional Sanctions Information: Subject to Secondary Sanctions
  • Gender: Male
  • National ID No.: 2060455065 (Iran)
  • Party Type: Individual
  • Linked to: BANK-E SHAHR

Supplemental Information: Treasury describes Ghasempour as a Shahr Bank employee who worked closely with FSAQ and Alps International and coordinated with Russia’s sanctioned VTB Bank on currency conversions. He is designated for having acted on behalf of Shahr Bank.

HENDI, Amir

  • Address: Iran
  • DOB: 05 Nov 1982
  • POB: Tehran, Iran
  • Nationality: Iran
  • Additional Sanctions Information: Subject to Secondary Sanctions
  • Gender: Male
  • National ID No.: 0074773585 (Iran)
  • Party Type: Individual
  • Linked to: TITAN EXCHANGE

Supplemental Information: Treasury’s press release describes Hendi as an IT specialist who provided infrastructure support to Titan Exchange; the accompanying designation rationale cites his having acted on behalf of FSAQ rather than Titan Exchange directly.

MOHAMMAD, Peivand

  • AKA: MOHAMMAD, Peyvand
  • Address: Iran
  • DOB: 21 Jan 1991
  • POB: Iran
  • Nationality: Iran
  • Additional Sanctions Information: Subject to Secondary Sanctions
  • Gender: Male
  • National ID No.: 0013132229 (Iran)
  • Party Type: Individual
  • Linked to: FARAB SOROUSH AFAGH QESHM COMPANY

Supplemental Information: Treasury identifies Mohammad as an FSAQ employee who, along with Shima Sharifi, coordinates invoices and payments enabling FSAQ’s sanctions evasion activities. He is designated for having acted on behalf of FSAQ.

SHARIFI, Shima

  • Address: Iran
  • DOB: 28 Jun 1992
  • POB: Tehran, Iran
  • Nationality: Iran
  • Additional Sanctions Information: Subject to Secondary Sanctions
  • Gender: Female
  • National ID No.: 0014985241 (Iran)
  • Party Type: Individual

Supplemental Information: Treasury identifies Sharifi, alongside Peivand Mohammad, as an FSAQ employee who coordinates invoices and payments enabling FSAQ’s sanctions evasion activities. Unlike Mohammad, Ghasempour, and Hendi, her SDN entry carries no Linked To party; Treasury’s designation basis for her is operating in the financial sector of the Iranian economy rather than acting on behalf of a specific party.

OFAC Programs:

  • [SDGT]  Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 594
  • [IRGC]  Iranian Financial Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR Part 561

KAYVANPOUR, Siavash

  • AKA:
    • “HASHEM, Siavash”
    • “KAIVANPOUR, Siavash”
    • “KIWAN PORT, Siyawesh”
  • Address: Kish, Iran; Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • DOB: 12 Jul 1979
  • POB: Iran
  • Nationality: Iran; alt. Dominica; alt. Afghanistan
  • Additional Sanctions Information: Subject to Secondary Sanctions
  • Gender: Male
  • Digital Currency Address – XBT: 15Zt2mKuQ5Qy6DEXfDcbtsEVneoGQQXrS4; alt. 1BUXxhcwzFukm9CUxnhag85sSXDkMRbXse
  • Digital Currency Address – ETH: 0x8d79c73daae8630c88de372ba8f57592fa987607
  • Secondary Sanctions Risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
  • Digital Currency Address – TRX: TPgxjjB6AJeMSQFngbUM6dMMxPHa9GEtYa
  • Passport: RA003752 (Dominica)
  • National ID No.: 784-1979-5841714-5 (United Arab Emirates)
  • Party Type: Individual

Supplemental Information: Treasury describes Kayvanpour as Iranian-born with additional citizenship from Dominica and Afghanistan, residing in the UAE and operating a multi-jurisdiction network of digital-currency companies. IRGC-linked digital currency addresses reportedly sent the equivalent of over $1 million to Shelbit Exchange addresses, with more than $2 million transferred back to IRGC addresses; addresses controlled by Kayvanpour separately sent over $2 million to the previously designated Nobitex exchange. He is designated under E.O. 13224, as amended, for materially assisting the IRGC and Nobitex. Treasury also ties the Shelbit platform to a Persian-language online gambling network run by two Iranian influencers — convicted of illegal gambling in Iran in 2023 but, per Treasury, still operating with access to Iran’s Central Bank-regulated payment system — through which tens of millions of dollars were laundered.

The following entities have been added to OFAC’s SDN List:

OFAC Program: [IRAN-EO13902]  Executive Order 13902

ABAN TETHER EXCHANGE

  • AKA:
    • ABAN TABADEL ARSABARAN
    • ABANTETHER
  • Address: Ground Floor, No. 8, Gozar Merdad Alley, Qods Town (West), Tehran 1465663166, Iran
  • Website: abantether.com
  • Additional Sanctions Information: Subject to Secondary Sanctions
  • Organization Established Date: 26 Aug 2020
  • Organization Type: Financial and Insurance Activities
  • National ID No.: 14009392670 (Iran)

Supplemental Information: Treasury describes Aban Tether as an Iran-based digital asset exchange that has processed millions of dollars in transactions involving other previously designated Iranian exchanges, including Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin, and Ramzinex. It is designated for operating in Iran’s financial sector.

ALPS INTERNATIONAL L.L.C-FZ

  • Address: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Organization Established Date: 20 Dec 2022
  • License: 2205337.01 (United Arab Emirates); alt. DE7365 (United Arab Emirates)

Supplemental Information: Treasury describes Alps International as executing payments on behalf of FSAQ, generating invoices on the letterhead of whichever shell company is chosen to receive funds and coordinating payments through that shell’s bank accounts; in 2026 it reportedly enabled hundreds of millions of dollars in multi-currency transactions. It is designated for operating in Iran’s financial sector.

AYDENIZ GENERAL TRADING L.L.C

  • Address: Office 1205, Riggat Al Buteen, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Organization Established Date: 18 Jul 2023
  • License: 1210220 (United Arab Emirates); alt. CH5145 (United Arab Emirates)

Supplemental Information: Treasury identifies Aydeniz General Trading as a Dubai-based Iranian front company used to facilitate transactions with Iranian exchange houses, including Sadaf Exchange, which it ties to Iran’s military shadow-banking apparatus. It is designated for operating in Iran’s financial sector.

BLUE DASH GENERAL TRADING COMPANY LIMITED

  • Address: Unit 32, 3/F, Block A, The K-Star, Manning Industrial Building 118, How Ming St, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
  • Organization Established Date: 31 Jul 2019
  • Company Number: 2858512 (Hong Kong)
  • Business Registration Number: 71017662 (Hong Kong)

Supplemental Information: Treasury describes Blue Dash as a Hong Kong front company that has been a recurring counterparty in Iranian shadow-banking activity, facilitating transactions for exchange houses such as Pedram Pirouzan and Amin Exchanges on behalf of sanctions evaders, including the Shamkhani shipping network. It is designated for operating in Iran’s financial sector.

CAILAFANG PTE. LTD.

  • Address: 60, Paya Lebar Square, 54, Paya Lebar Road, Singapore
  • Organization Established Date: 15 Jan 2024
  • Registration Number: 202402130H (Singapore)

Supplemental Information: Treasury states Cailafang, a Singapore-based company, has been used by FSAQ and Alps International since late 2025 to enable tens of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian trade. It is designated for operating in Iran’s financial sector.

GLEAMING HK TRADING LIMITED

  • Address: Unit 33A, 3/F, The K-Star, Manning Industrial Center, 116-118, How Ming St, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
  • Organization Established Date: 09 Jun 2020
  • Company Number: 2950107 (Hong Kong)
  • Business Registration Number: 71948314 (Hong Kong)

Supplemental Information: Treasury pairs Gleaming HK Trading with Blue Dash as a recurring Hong Kong front-company counterparty in the same shadow-banking activity, facilitating transactions for Iranian exchange houses on behalf of sanctions evaders including the Shamkhani network. It is designated for operating in Iran’s financial sector.

OVIEDO OVERSEAS COMPANY LIMITED

  • Address: Room 11, 8/F, On Cheong Factory Building, No. 19 Tai Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong, China
  • Organization Established Date: 09 Sep 2025
  • Business Registration Number: 78761549 (Hong Kong)

Supplemental Information: Treasury states Oviedo Overseas, a Hong Kong company established in September 2025, has been used by FSAQ and Alps International to complete transaction orders worth millions of dollars in mid-2026. It is designated for operating in Iran’s financial sector.

TITAN EXCHANGE

  • AKA:
    • TITAN ENERGY PETROLEUM PRODUCTS TRADING CO. L.L.C
    • TITAN LAND PETROCHEMICALS TRADING L.L.C
  • Address: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • License: 1288764 (United Arab Emirates); alt. 820100 (United Arab Emirates); alt. BC2364 (United Arab Emirates); alt. DA7564 (United Arab Emirates)
  • Linked to: BANK-E SHAHR

Supplemental Information: Treasury describes Titan Exchange as one of two Dubai-based exchange-house fronts relied on by Shahr Bank and its rahbar network, holding tens of millions of dollars on Shahr Bank’s behalf as of early 2026 and closely affiliated with Iranian financier Hossein Ghorbani Zahed, previously sanctioned for supporting the Shamkhani illicit shipping network. Treasury’s crypto-focused release separately describes Amir Hendi as providing IT infrastructure support to Titan Exchange.

OFAC Program: [SDGT]  Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 594

CRYPTO HOME DMCC

  • Address: DMCC Business Centre, BA 1024, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Digital Currency Address – XBT: 1G1V1b9s9uPsFCNL15ibZk44xsVygKsP2u
  • Digital Currency Address – ETH: 0xbb69e01921b17cd22080968bcc96ba6115da6062
  • Secondary Sanctions Risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
  • Organization Established Date: 08 Mar 2022
  • Organization Type: Financial and Insurance Activities
  • Digital Currency Address – BNB: bnb136ns6lfw4zs5hg4n85vdthaad7hq5m4gtkgf23
  • Digital Currency Address – TRX: TTVJuXWCusAURrpNShiypauagEH1N4CrxV
  • Commercial Registry Number: DMCC192801 (United Arab Emirates)
  • Company Number: AE0120005822 (United Arab Emirates)
  • License: DMCC-839525 (United Arab Emirates)

Supplemental Information: Treasury identifies Crypto Home as a UAE company for which Kayvanpour serves as sole manager, designated for being owned or directed by him. The UAE’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority took enforcement action against Crypto Home in January 2025, though it reportedly remained in business.

NFT HOME DMCC

  • AKA: “NFT HOME DMSC”
  • Address: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Secondary Sanctions Risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
  • Organization Established Date: 19 May 2022
  • Organization Type: Wholesale and retail trade
  • Commercial Registry Number: DMCC193420 (United Arab Emirates)
  • License: DMCC-846344 (United Arab Emirates)

Supplemental Information: Treasury identifies NFT Home as a second UAE company for which Kayvanpour serves as sole manager, designated on the same ownership/control basis as Crypto Home.

SHELBIT GENERAL TRADING LLC

  • AKA:
    • “SHELBIT”
    • “SHELBIT EXCHANGE”
  • Address: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Secondary Sanctions Risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
  • Registration Number: 3334083 (United Arab Emirates)

Supplemental Information: Treasury identifies this entity (referred to in its press release as “General Trading”) as the UAE company operating commercially as Shelbit Exchange. The UAE’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority issued enforcement actions against it in January 2025 and again in July 2026, though it reportedly remained in business; it is designated for being owned or directed by SHPS Shelbit.

SHELBIT TECHNOLOGIES LTD SPOLKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOSCIA W LIKWIDACJI

  • AKA:
    • “SHELBIT LTD”
    • “SHELBIT TECHNOLOGIES LTD”
  • Address: 22B 21A Bartycka 00-716, Warsaw, Poland
  • Secondary Sanctions Risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
  • Organization Established Date: 24 Aug 2023
  • Organization Type: Other monetary intermediation
  • Tax ID No.: 5214033324 (Poland)
  • Business Registration Number: 526184547 (Poland)
  • Registration Number: 0001053647 (Poland)

Supplemental Information: Treasury identifies this Warsaw-registered entity (in liquidation) as a company owned by Kayvanpour, designated on the same ownership/control basis as Crypto Home and NFT Home.

SHPS SHELBIT

  • AKA: “SHELBIT EXCHANGE”
  • Address: Tblisi, Georgia
  • Website: http://www.shelbit.com
  • Digital Currency Address – XBT: bc1qjzk63wwatq2f638psymq3qapn00aqgksyx56l3t8eg7zuuccwasq498khf; alt. bc1qz654h5qcqzalv6ltpxsk4ksdcc3e20wkedqntgnarv3a0t2e2p7scr48pl
  • Digital Currency Address – ETH: 0xe05f529f5284d75624eba386cb716928c3b54a2a; alt. 0x6b69e2a7545c166417a80c61a77562052b!a9c5
  • Secondary Sanctions Risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
  • Organization Established Date: 29 Apr 2025
  • Organization Type: Other business support service activities n.e.c.
  • Digital Currency Address – TRX: TXN3hVukebhyYR31YPCYd7aJAvmUeXu1ab
  • Digital Currency Address – SOL: 6wjqWWra8ombzaw6VHrG5xpQ972jCYF6bbHiFCbWmr4U
  • Registration Number: 400430477 (Georgia)

Supplemental Information: Treasury identifies SHPS Shelbit as the Republic of Georgia-registered company through which Kayvanpour operates the Shelbit Exchange, which reportedly exchanged well over $1 million in digital assets with IRGC-linked addresses in both directions and laundered tens of millions of dollars for a Persian-language online gambling network.

Delistings:

The following deletions have been made to OFAC’s SDN List:

OFAC Program: [SDNT]  Narcotics Trafficking Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 536

SATIZABAL RENGIFO, Mario German (a.k.a. “PELO DE COBRE”), Colombia; DOB 04 Mar 1970; POB Buga, Valle, Colombia; Cedula No. 14892890 (Colombia) (individual).

“PELO DE COBRE” (a.k.a. SATIZABAL RENGIFO, Mario German), Colombia; DOB 04 Mar 1970; POB Buga, Valle, Colombia; Cedula No. 14892890 (Colombia) (individual).

OFAC Program: [SDNTK]  Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 598

AYALA BARRERA, Rubi Yiceth; DOB 13 Feb 1982; Cedula No. 52784570 (Colombia) (individual) (Linked To: HERJEZ LTDA.).

ZAZUETA GODOY, Heriberto (a.k.a. “CAPI BETO”), Jose Aguilar Barraza 328, Al Poniente de la Colonia Jorge Almeda, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico; Av. Naciones Unidas # 5759, Casa 34, Col. Parque Regency, Zapopan, Jalisco 44110, Mexico; DOB 03 Feb 1960; POB Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico; C.U.R.P. ZAGH600203HSLZDR07 (Mexico) (individual) (Linked To: PRODUCCION PESQUERA DONA MARIELA, S.A. DE C.V.; Linked To: TAIPEN, S.A. DE C.V.; Linked To: COMERCIALIZADORA Y FRIGORIFICOS DE LA PERLA DEL PACIFICO, S.A. DE C.V.).

“CAPI BETO” (a.k.a. ZAZUETA GODOY, Heriberto), Jose Aguilar Barraza 328, Al Poniente de la Colonia Jorge Almeda, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico; Av. Naciones Unidas # 5759, Casa 34, Col. Parque Regency, Zapopan, Jalisco 44110, Mexico; DOB 03 Feb 1960; POB Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico; C.U.R.P. ZAGH600203HSLZDR07 (Mexico) (individual) (Linked To: PRODUCCION PESQUERA DONA MARIELA, S.A. DE C.V.; Linked To: TAIPEN, S.A. DE C.V.; Linked To: COMERCIALIZADORA Y FRIGORIFICOS DE LA PERLA DEL PACIFICO, S.A. DE C.V.).

ZAZUETA GOMEZ, Leopoldo; DOB 04 Feb 1940; POB San Ignacio, Sinaloa, Mexico; C.U.R.P. ZAGL400204HSLZMP06 (Mexico) (individual) (Linked To: PRODUCCION PESQUERA DONA MARIELA, S.A. DE C.V.).

ROMERO ZEVADA, Demetrio, Nogalitos No. 17, Quila, Sinaloa, Mexico; DOB 09 Apr 1973; POB Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico; C.U.R.P. ROZD730409HSLMVM09 (Mexico) (individual) (Linked To: COMERCIALIZADORA Y FRIGORIFICOS DE LA PERLA DEL PACIFICO, S.A. DE C.V.; Linked To: PRODUCCION PESQUERA DONA MARIELA, S.A. DE C.V.).

PRODUCCION PESQUERA DONA MARIELA, S.A. DE C.V., Avenida Puerto Mazatlan 6, Colonia Parque Industrial Alfredo V Bonfil, Mazatlan, Sinaloa CP 82050, Mexico; R.F.C. PPD0103129Q2 (Mexico); Folio Mercantil No. 9974-2 (Mexico).

TAIPEN, S.A. DE C.V. (a.k.a. “TAI PEN”), Av. Juan Palomar y Arias # 569, Col. Jardines Universidad, Zapopan, Jalisco 45110, Mexico; Folio Mercantil No. 33288-1 (Mexico).

“TAI PEN” (a.k.a. TAIPEN, S.A. DE C.V.), Av. Juan Palomar y Arias # 569, Col. Jardines Universidad, Zapopan, Jalisco 45110, Mexico; Folio Mercantil No. 33288-1 (Mexico).

COMERCIALIZADORA Y FRIGORIFICOS DE LA PERLA DEL PACIFICO, S.A. DE C.V., Puerto de Mazatlan 6 D, Parque Industrial Alfredo V. Bonfil, Mazatlan, Sinaloa 82050, Mexico; R.F.C. CFP001109UM7 (Mexico).

Sources:

Claude’s notes worth noting:

Two source-fidelity issues I didn’t paper over:

  • One of SHPS Shelbit’s alt. ETH addresses (ending ...052b!a9c5) has what looks like an OCR artifact character in the source PDF — I transcribed it as-is rather than guessing at the correct hex digit. Worth checking against OFAC’s official SDN XML/CSV export before anyone screens against it.
  • I dropped the Arabic-script and Polish-diacritic name parentheticals throughout (e.g., on Ghasempour, Hendi, Sharifi, Aban Tether, Crypto Home, NFT Home, Shelbit General Trading, Shelbit Technologies) rather than risk transcribing garbled RTL extraction incorrectly. The English/Latin primary names and standard a.k.a. aliases are all intact.

How I split the two designation networks: the update bundles two distinct Iran-related actions — the Shahr Bank/FSAQ/Alps International currency-exchange-house network (Treasury’s “Global Clandestine Currency Networks” release + State’s “Severing Iran’s Illicit Cash Pipeline”) and the Kayvanpour/Shelbit crypto-exchange network (Treasury’s “Crypto Exchanges” release + State’s “Targeting Digital Asset Exchanges”). These split almost perfectly along program-tag lines (IRAN-EO13902 vs. SDGT/IRGC), with Aban Tether Exchange as the one exception — it’s tagged IRAN-EO13902 like the currency-network entities but is substantively part of the crypto story, so its supplemental info draws from the crypto press release even though it’s grouped under the IRAN-EO13902 heading.

Excluded per scope rules: the co-issued amended FAQ 1257, and Basheer Al-Shabbani (discussed in Treasury’s currency-network release but not actually a new listing in today’s SDN update — he was already processed in the August 5 post).


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