Citation and commencement

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Iran (Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2024.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 13th September 2024.

Amendment of the Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023

2.  The Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023(3) are amended as set out in regulations 3 to 8.

Amendments to Chapter 4 of Part 6 (unmanned aerial vehicles)

3.—(1) In the heading of Chapter 4 of Part 6, for “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles”, substitute “Goods and Technology of Strategic Concern”.

(2) For regulation 36 (interpretation), substitute—

“36.  In this Chapter—

“goods of strategic concern” means any thing specified in Schedule 4, other than—

“technology of strategic concern” means any thing which is described in Schedule 4 as software or technology, within the meaning of that Schedule, other than—

(3) In the following regulations, for “unmanned aerial vehicle goods”, in each place it occurs, substitute “goods of strategic concern”—

(a)regulation 37 (export of unmanned aerial vehicle goods) (including the heading);

(b)regulation 38 (supply and delivery of unmanned aerial vehicle goods) (including the heading);

(c)regulation 39 (making unmanned aerial vehicle goods and unmanned aerial vehicle technology available) (including the heading);

(d)regulation 41 (technical assistance relating to unmanned aerial vehicle goods and unmanned aerial vehicle technology) (including the heading);

(e)regulation 42 (financial services and funds relating to unmanned aerial vehicle goods and unmanned aerial vehicle technology) (including the heading);

(f)regulation 43 (brokering services: non-UK activity relating to unmanned aerial vehicle goods and unmanned aerial vehicle technology) (including the heading).

(4) In the following regulations, for “unmanned aerial vehicle technology”, in each place it occurs, substitute “technology of strategic concern”—

(a)regulation 39 (making unmanned aerial vehicle goods and unmanned aerial vehicle technology available) (including the heading);

(b)regulation 40 (transfer of unmanned aerial vehicle technology) (including the heading);

(c)regulation 41 (technical assistance relating to unmanned aerial vehicle goods and unmanned aerial vehicle technology) (including the heading);

(d)regulation 42 (financial services and funds relating to unmanned aerial vehicle goods and unmanned aerial vehicle technology) (including the heading);

(e)regulation 43 (brokering services relating to unmanned aerial vehicle goods and unmanned aerial vehicle technology) (including the heading).

Amendment to regulation 56 (trade: exception for emergencies in certain cases)

4.  In regulation 56(2), for “unmanned aerial vehicle goods”, substitute “goods of strategic concern”.

Insertion of regulation 56A (trade: exceptions in relation to personal effects etc.)

5.  After regulation 56 (trade: exception for emergencies in certain cases), insert—

“Trade: exceptions in relation to personal effects etc.

56A.—(1) The prohibitions in regulations 37(1) (export of goods of strategic concern), 38(1) (supply and delivery of goods of strategic concern), 39(1) (making goods of strategic concern and technology of strategic concern available), 40(1) (transfer of technology of strategic concern), 41(1) (technical assistance relating to goods of strategic concern and technology of strategic concern), 42(1) to (3) (financial services and funds relating to goods of strategic concern and technology of strategic concern), and 43(1) (brokering services: non-UK activity relating to goods of strategic concern and technology of strategic concern) are not contravened by a relevant activity in relation to any goods of strategic concern or technology of strategic concern which are—

(a)the personal effects of a person travelling to Iran,

(b)of a non-commercial nature for the personal use of a person travelling to Iran and contained in that person’s luggage, or

(c)necessary for the official purposes of a diplomatic mission or consular post in Iran, or of an international organisation enjoying immunities in accordance with international law.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)—

“consular post” has the same meaning as in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations done at Vienna on 24 April 1963(7), and any reference to the functions of a consular post is to be read in accordance with that Convention;

“diplomatic mission”, and any reference to the functions of a diplomatic mission, is to be read in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations done at Vienna on 18 April 1961(8);

“goods of strategic concern” has the meaning given in regulation 36 (interpretation);

“relevant activity” means any activity which would, in the absence of this regulation, contravene the prohibitions specified in paragraph (1);

“technology of strategic concern” has the meaning given in regulation 36 (interpretation).”.

Amendment to regulation 88 (exercise of maritime enforcement powers)

6.  In regulation 88(2)(b), for “unmanned aerial vehicle goods and unmanned aerial vehicle technology”, substitute “goods of strategic concern and technology of strategic concern”.

Insertion of regulation 94A (article 20 of the Export Control Order 2008)

7.  After regulation 94 (notices), insert—

“Article 20 of the Export Control Order 2008

94A.  Article 20 of the Export Control Order 2008 (embargoed destinations) is not to be taken to prohibit anything prohibited by Part 6 (Trade).”.

Amendment to schedules

8.  For Schedule 4 (Unmanned aerial vehicle goods and unmanned aerial vehicle technology), substitute Schedule 4 (Goods of strategic concern and technology of strategic concern), which is set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

Regulation 8

Schedule

Regulation 36

“Schedule 4Goods of strategic concern and technology of strategic concern

Part 1General

Interpretation

1.—(1) For the purposes of this Schedule, a thing “falls within” a commodity code if it is, or would be, classified under that commodity code, as set out in the Goods Classification Table.

(2) For the purposes of determining whether or not a thing is, or would be, “classified” in accordance with sub-paragraph (1), the rules of interpretation contained in the following have effect—

(a)Part Two (Goods Classification Table Rules of Interpretation) of the Tariff of the United Kingdom;

(b)notes to a section or chapter of the Goods Classification Table.

(3) For the purposes of this paragraph—

“commodity code” includes a code denoting a heading or sub-heading;

“the Goods Classification Table” means the table so named in Annex I in Part Three of the Tariff of the United Kingdom;

“the Tariff of the United Kingdom” means the document containing the legal classification and import rate for products being imported into the United Kingdom, entitled “The Tariff of the United Kingdom”, as revised or re-issued from time to time(9), including by any document published under regulations made under section 8(1) of the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 replacing the same in whole or in part.

2.  For the purposes of this Schedule, the following terms have the meaning given to them in the Dual-Use Regulation—

“development”;

“GNSS”;

“LIDAR”;

“production”;

“technology”;

“use”.

Part 2Items that are specified by commodity code

3.  Any thing falling within a commodity code mentioned in column 1 of the following table.

Part 3Items that are specified by description

4.  Equipment specially designed for satellite navigation equipment, including aerials and antennas suitable for the reception of GNSS signals.

5.  Airborne laser rangefinder.

6.  LIDAR systems.

7.  Pitot tubes and air measurement sensors for unmanned aerial vehicles.

8.  Engine fuel management systems and pressure transmitter for use in unmanned aerial vehicles.

9.  Software programming devices for use with unmanned aerial vehicles.

10.  Software defined radios designed or modified for use on unmanned aerial vehicles.

11.  Single board computers for use in unmanned aerial vehicles.

12.  Video encoding devices for use in unmanned aerial vehicles.

13.  Technology, designed or specifically adapted for the test, development or production of equipment listed in Parts 2 and 3 of this Schedule.”.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations are made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (c. 13) to amend the Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1314). These Regulations provide for new trade sanctions measures in relation to Iran.

Prohibitions on the export, supply and delivery and making available of unmanned aerial vehicle goods are extended to include other goods of strategic concern. Prohibitions on the making available and transfer of unmanned aerial vehicle technology are extended to include other technology of strategic concern. Related prohibitions on the provision of technical assistance, financial services, funds and brokering services are also extended in relation to other goods of strategic concern and other technology of strategic concern.

New exceptions from the trade prohibitions on goods of strategic concern and technology of strategic concern are provided for, in relation to personal items and diplomatic missions, consular posts and international organisations. These regulations also address the application of article 20 of the Export Control Order 2008, regarding trade controls with respect to embargoed destinations.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for the Regulations as no, or no significant, impact is foreseen on the private, voluntary or public sectors in the United Kingdom. A de minimis assessment has been prepared as this instrument is likely to entail some costs for businesses, but the net impact is estimated to be below £10 million per year.