United States sanctions
After the failure of the Embargo Act of 1807 the federal government of the United States took little interest in imposing embargoes and economic sanctions against foreign countries until the latter half of the 20th century. United States trade policy was entirely a matter of economic policy. However, the United States participated in the ABCD line against Japan, and interest in trade as a tool of foreign policy expanded during the Cold War era, and many economic sanctions were applied. Later, sanctions were in particular aimed against countries which the U.S. government listed as "State Sponsors of Terrorism".
Sanctions imposed by the United States government include:
- ban on arms-related exports
- controls over dual-use technology exports
- restrictions on economic assistance
- financial restrictions:
- * requiring the United States to oppose loans by the World Bank and other international financial institutions
- * diplomatic immunity waived, to allow families of terrorist victims to file for civil damages in U.S. courts
- * tax credits for companies and individuals denied, for income earned in listed countries
- * duty-free goods exemption suspended for imports from those countries
- * authority to prohibit U.S. citizens from engaging in financial transactions with the government on the list, except by license from the U.S. government
- * prohibition of U.S. Defense Department contracts above $100,000 with companies controlled by countries on the list.
Implementing agencies
- Bureau of Industry and Security
- Directorate of Defense Trade Controls
- Office of Foreign Assets Control
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- United States Department of Commerce
- United States Department of Defense
- United States Department of Energy
- United States Department of Homeland Security
- United States Department of Justice
- * Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
- * Federal Bureau of Investigation
- United States Department of State
- United States Department of the Treasury
Authorizing laws
- Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917
- Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
- International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977
- Export Administration Act of 1979
- Cuban Assets Control Regulations of 1963
- Cuban Democracy Act of 1992
- Helms–Burton Act of 1996
- Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996
- Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000
- Iran Freedom and Support Act of 2006
- Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010
Targeted parties
Countries
| Country | Year introduced | Article | Summary |
| 1979 | United States sanctions against Iran | Near total economic embargo on all economic activities, began in 1979 as a response to the Iranian Revolution, and rapidly expanded over recent years due to the Iranian Nuclear Program and Iran's poor human rights record. Iran and the US have no diplomatic relations. Listed as state sponsor of terrorism. Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales | |
| 1950 | North Korea–United States relations | Severe sanctions justified by extreme human rights abuses by North Korea and the North Korean nuclear program. North Korea and the US currently have no diplomatic relations. Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales | |
| 1986 | Syria–United States relations | Reasons cited include Syria's poor human rights record, the Civil War, and being listed as a state sponsor of terrorism. Syria and the US have no diplomatic relations since 2012. Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales | |
| 1993 | Sudan-United States relations | Reasons cited for sanctions include Sudan's poor human rights record, the present War in Darfur, and being listed as a state sponsor of terrorism. Most US sanctions on Sudan were lifted in October 2017 by Executive Order of the President of the United States, Donald Trump. | |
| 1958 | United States embargo against Cuba | Reasons cited for the embargo include Cuba's poor human rights record. Since 1992, the UN General Assembly has regularly passed annual resolutions criticizing the ongoing impact of the embargo imposed by the United States. | |
| 2019 | International sanctions during the Venezuelan crisis | Reasons cited for sanctions includes Venezuela's poor human rights record, links with illegal drug trade, high levels of state corruption and electoral rigging. Since 2019, Venezuela and the United States have no diplomatic relations under Nicolás Maduro but maintain relations through disputed president Juan Guaidó. Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales |
Persons
| Country | Description |
| Certain persons the US government believes to be undermining democratic processes or institutions in Belarus Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report. However Belarus is subject to some certain exemptions. | |
| Persons who the US government claims threaten peace, security, or stability in Burundi Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales | |
| Persons the US government believes contribute to the conflict in the Central African Republic | |
| Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales Since 2020, Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act. | |
| Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales | |
| Certain persons the US government believes are contributing to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales | |
| Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales | |
| Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report. However Eritrea is subject to some certain exemptions. | |
| Specific individuals and entities associated with the former Ba'athist regime of Saddam Hussein, as well as parties the US government believes have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing acts of violence that threaten the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq or undermine efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or make it more difficult for humanitarian workers to operate in Iraq. | |
| Persons the US government believes undermine the sovereignty of Lebanon or its democratic processes and institutions | |
 / | Persons associated with Muammar Gaddafi's regime |
| Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales | |
| Officials associated with the Rohingya crisis Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales | |
| Persons associated with contributing to the 2018–2020 Nicaraguan protests | |
| Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report. However Papua New Guinea is subject to some certain exemptions. | |
| Persons believed to be responsible for the detention, abuse, and death of Sergei Magnitsky and other reported violations of human rights in Russia. Since 2014, International sanctions during the Ukrainian crisis, since 2017 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales | |
| Certain persons the US government believes are contributing to the conflict in Somalia | |
| Persons the US government alleges have contributed to the conflict in South Sudan or committed human rights abuses. Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report which imposes ban on participating in International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and Foreign Military Sales | |
| Country listed as Tier 3 on Trafficking in Persons Report. However Turkmenistan is subject to some certain exemptions. | |
| Persons the US government believes undermine the peace, security, stability, territorial integrity and the democratic processes and institutions of Ukraine. Also persons administering areas of Ukraine without central government consent, also a number of Russian senior officials who are close to Vladimir Putin. | |
| Persons who the US government believes are contributing to the ongoing crisis in Venezuela | |
| Persons who the US government claims threaten peace, security, or stability in Yemen | |
| Persons the US government believes undermine democratic processes or institutions in Zimbabwe, including a number of Government Officials |
There are also list-based sanctions related to countering terrorism, rough diamond trade controls, counter narcotics, nuclear proliferation and transnational criminal organizations.
Some countries listed are members of the World Trade Organization, but WTO rules allow trade restrictions for non-economic purposes.
Combined, the Treasury Department, the Commerce Department and the State Department list embargoes against 30 countries or territories: Afghanistan, Belarus, Burundi, Central African Republic, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Crimea Region, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Fiji, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Myanmar, North Korea, Palestinian Territories, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe.