Daily Compliance Brief — OFAC Adds Counter-Terrorism Sanctions and Amends Russia Licensing

August 26, 2026

Signal

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated individuals and entities under its counter-terrorism sanctions authorities on August 26, 2026. The action was published in OFAC's August 26 Recent Actions update and included designations linked to Masar Badil and Palestine Action.

OFAC also issued Counter Terrorism General License 36, authorizing the wind-down of specified transactions involving Autistici Inventati, and Russia-related General License 104B concerning imports of certain diamonds prohibited under Executive Order 14068.

The measures introduce both new sanctions exposure and defined licensing relief, requiring institutions to distinguish newly blocked parties from transactions covered by specific authorization or wind-down provisions.

Why it matters

Sanctions teams should update screening systems and customer records for the new counter-terrorism designations and assess potential exposure through linked entities and counterparties.

Transaction controls should incorporate the conditions and scope of General Licenses 36 and 104B when evaluating relevant activity.

Documentation and escalation processes should support evidence-based license determinations, particularly where transactions involve designated parties or Russia-related diamond activity.