U.S. Eases Sanctions for Medicine, Sports

            On September 10, the U.S. Treasury eased sanctions on humanitarian activity and athletic exchanges with Iran. Nongovernmental organizations can now provide disaster relief and conduct projects on environmental issues, human rights and democracy. And athletic exchanges will be easier to coordinate.
           
In May 2013, Iran’s national wrestling team visited the United States for friendly matches to raise the sports profile after the Olympic Committee recommended dropping the sport. It was the Iranian team’s first trip to the United States in a decade. The U.S., Iranian, and Russian wrestling federations successfully teamed up to salvage wrestling for the 2020 Olympics.
            
The following is the announcement released by the U.S. Treasury.  

            Today, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued two general licenses that authorize certain humanitarian-related activities by nongovernmental organizations in Iran and athletic exchanges involving Iran and the United States.  General License E authorizes the exportation of services and funds transfers by nongovernmental organizations in support of certain not-for-profit humanitarian activities designed to benefit the people of Iran, including activities related to humanitarian projects to meet basic human needs; non-commercial reconstruction projects in response to natural disasters for a period of up to two years; environmental and wildlife conservation projects; and human rights and democracy building projects.  General License F authorizes the importation and exportation of certain services in support of professional and amateur sporting activities and exchanges involving the United States and Iran.