OFAC sanctions program

Iran Sanctions Program

Iran is subject to comprehensive US sanctions. The ITSR prohibits nearly all transactions involving Iran by US persons, and authorizes secondary sanctions on non-US persons for specified conduct with Iran.

Program at a glance

Program codeIRAN
Legal authorityIranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR); EOs 12170, 13846, 13902, and others
ScopeComprehensive / Iran
Designation volumeApproximately 2,000+ SDN designations

Who and what it targets

The Government of Iran, Iranian financial institutions (including designated banks), the energy and petrochemical sectors, and entities supporting Iran's nuclear or military programs.

Relevance to AI agents

Iran is a comprehensively sanctioned jurisdiction. Payment agents must check the destination jurisdiction, not just the counterparty — a clean wallet tied to an Iranian end-party is still a prohibited transaction. Secondary-sanctions exposure is significant for non-US operators.

Screening note. A counterparty program match is not always a blanket block — the program tag tells your agent how to route the hit (hard block for terrorism/embargo, review-required for sectoral, etc.). SanctionsAI returns the program code on every match.

Frequently asked questions

Is Iran under a comprehensive embargo?

Yes. Nearly all transactions involving Iran by US persons are prohibited, and secondary sanctions apply to specified non-US conduct.

Are humanitarian transactions to Iran allowed?

Certain humanitarian transactions (food, medicine) are licensed or exempt, but they require careful structuring. They are not automatic.

Compliance disclaimer. This page is educational and not legal advice. Program scope and current general licenses must be confirmed against the live OFAC programme page and, where relevant, by a qualified professional.

Screen a counterparty against every program

Returns the program code on every match. Free tier: 5 checks/day.

Screen a counterparty free →  See pricing

Related