[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9030-9031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-03300]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 8632]


Provision of Certain Temporary Sanctions Relief

AGENCY: Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Department of State.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States Government (USG) is issuing temporary 
waivers of certain sanctions to allow for a discrete range of 
transactions related to the provision of satellite connectivity 
services to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). The USG 
is issuing these waivers based on Iran's commitment to ensure that 
harmful satellite interference does not emanate from its territory, and 
verification by the USG that harmful satellite interference is not 
currently emanating from the territory of Iran.

DATES: The effective dates of these waiver actions are as described in 
the determinations set forth below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: On general issues: John Hughes, Office 
of Economic Sanctions Policy and Implementation, Department of State, 
Telephone: (202) 647-7489.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Acting under the authorities vested in me as 
Secretary of State, I hereby make the following determinations and 
certifications:

    Pursuant to Sections 1244(i), 1245(g), 1246(e), and 1247(f) of 
the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 (subtitle D 
of title XII of Public Law 112-239, 22 U.S.C. 8801 et seq.) (IFCA) 
and the Delegation of Certain Functions and Authorities under IFCA, 
78 Fed. Reg. 35545 (June 13, 2013), I determine that it is vital to 
the national security of the United States to waive the imposition 
of sanctions pursuant to:
    1. Section 1244(c)(1) of IFCA \1\ to the extent required for:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Pursuant to section 1244(c)(2)(C)(iii) of IFCA, the relevant 
sanction in Section 1244(c)(1) continues not to apply, by its terms, 
in the case of Iranian financial institutions that have not been 
designated for the imposition of sanctions in connection with Iran's 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or delivery systems for 
weapons of mass destruction, support for international terrorism, or 
abuses of human rights (as described in section 1244(c)(3)).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    a. Transactions involving the provision of ground connectivity 
services using earth stations and fiber optic connections outside of 
Iran and the provision and management of satellite capacity for sale 
or resale to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), where 
such ground connectivity services and satellite capacity are to be 
used for the provision to Iran of public international 
telecommunications services, and;
    b. transactions involving the provision of the following related 
administrative services to, or for the benefit of, the IRIB, to the 
extent such services are necessary to establish and maintain ground 
and satellite connectivity with IRIB: Standard operational support, 
including coordinating with in-country personnel on matters such as 
configuring ground and earth station equipment to access space 
segment capacity; marketing services; billing services; and legal 
services, and excluding any transactions involving persons other 
than IRIB on the SDN List.
    2. Section 1246(a) of IFCA \2\ to the extent required for:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Pursuant to section 1246(a)(1)(C) of IFCA, the relevant 
sanction in Section 1246(a)(1)(C) continues not to apply, by its 
terms, in the case of Iranian financial institutions that have not 
been designated for the imposition of sanctions in connection with 
Iran's proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or delivery 
systems for weapons of mass destruction, support for international 
terrorism, or abuses of human rights (as described in section 
1246(b)).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    a. Transactions involving the provision of ground connectivity 
services using earth stations and fiber optic connections outside of 
Iran and the provision and management of satellite capacity for sale 
or resale to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), where 
such ground connectivity services and satellite capacity are to be 
used for the provision to Iran of public international 
telecommunications services, and;
    b. transactions involving the provision of the following related 
administrative services to, or for the benefit of, the IRIB, to the 
extent such services are necessary to establish and maintain ground 
and satellite connectivity with IRIB: Standard operational support, 
including coordinating with in-country personnel on matters such as 
configuring ground and earth station equipment to access space 
segment capacity; marketing services; billing services; and legal 
services, and excluding any transactions involving persons other 
than IRIB on the SDN List.
    3. Section 1247(a) of IFCA \3\ to the extent required for:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Pursuant to section 1247(a) of IFCA, the relevant sanction 
in Section 1247(a) still continues not to apply, by its terms, in 
the case of Iranian financial institutions that have not been 
designated for the imposition of sanctions in connection with Iran's 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or delivery systems for 
weapons of mass destruction, support for international terrorism, or 
abuses of human rights (as described in section 1247(b)).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    a. Transactions involving the provision of ground connectivity 
services using earth

[[Page 9031]]

stations and fiber optic connections outside of Iran and the 
provision and management of satellite capacity for sale or resale to 
the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), where such ground 
connectivity services and satellite capacity are to be used for the 
provision to Iran of public international telecommunications 
services, and;
    b. transactions involving the provision of the following related 
administrative services to, or for the benefit of, the IRIB, to the 
extent such services are necessary to establish and maintain ground 
and satellite connectivity with IRIB:

standard operational support, including coordinating with in-country 
personnel on matters such as configuring ground and earth station 
equipment to access space segment capacity; marketing services; 
billing services; and legal services, and excluding any transactions 
involving persons other than IRIB on the SDN List.

    These waivers shall take effect upon transmittal to Congress.

(Signed John F. Kerry, Secretary of State)

    Therefore, these sanctions have been waived as described in the 
determinations above. Relevant agencies and instrumentalities of the 
United States Government shall take all appropriate measures within 
their authority to carry out the provisions of this notice.

    Dated: February 10, 2014.
Kris R. Urs,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014-03300 Filed 2-13-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-07-P