The United Nations special envoy for Myanmar urged members to “take very strong measures” against Myanmar to counter the violence overtaking the country after last month’s military coup, a U.N. news release said March 3. Christine Schraner Burgener said she warned Myanmar’s military that “strong” sanctions will likely be imposed, but the military told her “we are used to sanctions and we survived the sanctions time in the past.” The U.S. and the United Kingdom have imposed sanctions on the country (see 2102110020 and 2102260013). The European Union is preparing sanctions (see 2102100012).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Mexican national Juan Manuel Abouzaid El Bayeh for helping to move drug shipments and launder money for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, a March 3 news release said. The agency labeled Abouzaid El Bayeh a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker. The designation was OFAC’s 12th action against the cartel, which was sanctioned in 2015.

The United Nations Security Council on Feb. 26 issued three new sanctions for terrorism activity in Somalia. The UNSC designated Abukar Ali Adan, deputy leader of the terrorist group al-Shabaab; Maalim Ayman, founder and leader of Jaysh Ayman, a unit of al-Shabaab; and Mahad Karate, who “played a key role” in Amniyat, the intelligence wing of al-Shabaab.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Mansur Al-Sa’adi and Ahmad ’Ali Ahsan al-Hamzi, who are responsible for organizing attacks by Houthi forces against Yemeni civilians, bordering nations and commercial ships, OFAC said March 2. OFAC said Al-Sa’adi is chief of staff for the Houthi Naval Forces and has helped smuggle Iranian weapons into Yemen. Al-Hamzi is the commander of Yemen’s Houthi-aligned Yemeni Air Force and Air Defense Forces and has also “acquired” Iranian weapons to use in Yemen.

The United Nations Security Council Feb. 25 threatened to impose sanctions on the signatories of the Juba Peace Agreement if they don't stop recruiting fighters and begin peace talks with the Sudanese government. The UNSC said it will “consider listing those individuals or entities” that agreed to the peace deal, which includes various Sudanese rebel groups.

The United Nations Security Council renewed its sanctions regime targeting people and entities threatening peace in Yemen, it said in a Feb. 25 news release. The regime was extended for one year and will renew asset freezes and visa restrictions while allowing for exemptions for humanitarian aid. The UNSC also extended the mandate for its Panel of Experts on Yemen for 13 months.

Iran’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Feb. 28 it doesn’t yet want to meet with European countries and the U.S. about the Iran nuclear deal, and called on the U.S. to lift sanctions before any meeting will take place. Iran said it “is not a good time for holding an unofficial meeting on the accord” because “there has been no change in the United States’ stances and behavior.” Iran also said the Biden administration has “not only failed to abandon [former President Donald] Trump’s failed policy of maximum pressure, but has also failed to declare its commitment” to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Once the U.S. lifts its sanctions, Iran said, it will return to the deal. The U.S. previously said it doesn’t plan to lift sanctions on Iran until the two sides meet (see 2102220049).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Ahmad Hassan Mohammed al Asiri, Saudi Arabia’s former deputy head of the General Intelligence Presidency, and the country’s Rapid Intervention Force for their involvement in the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. They were designated under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for human rights violations, OFAC said Feb. 26.

The State Department designated Dobroslav Trnka, a former prosecutor general for the Slovak Republic, for corruption, the agency said Feb. 25. The State Department also designated his son, Jakub Trnka. The designation “reaffirms U.S. commitment to combating corruption in Slovakia.”

The U.N. Security Council amended 92 entries on its sanctions list for entries associated with ISIL (Da’esh) and al‑Qaida, the UNSC said Feb. 23. The update made “technical amendments” to the entries.