Definition · Plain-language
OFAC sanctions
OFAC sanctions are the economic and trade sanctions administered by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control against targeted countries, regimes, entities and individuals, including those named on the SDN list.
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What OFAC sanctions are
The Office of Foreign Assets Control administers and enforces US economic and trade sanctions based on foreign-policy and national-security goals. Sanctions can target entire countries or regions through comprehensive embargoes, or specific governments, sectors, entities and individuals through targeted measures. They operate by restricting or prohibiting transactions, blocking property and interests in property of designated parties, and limiting the provision of goods, services and funds to sanctioned destinations and persons.
The SDN list and other designations
A central tool is the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list, which names individuals and entities whose assets are blocked and with whom transactions are generally prohibited. OFAC maintains additional lists for sectoral and other programmes. Because sanctions differ by programme, the obligations depend on which country or designation is involved — some prohibit nearly all dealings, while others restrict only particular sectors, technologies or activities.
Why OFAC matters in research
Sanctions reach research through collaborations, payments, services, travel, conference participation and shipments that involve sanctioned countries, entities or individuals. Unlike export controls, which focus on what is exported, OFAC focuses on with whom and where transactions occur — so even purely informational or financial dealings can be restricted. The fundamental research exclusion does not override sanctions, which is why screening against OFAC lists and consulting an institutional export-control office before working with sanctioned destinations is important.
Key facts
At a glance
- Definition: US economic and trade sanctions on targeted countries, entities and individuals
- Administered by: Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), US Treasury
- Key list: Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list
- Types: comprehensive embargoes and targeted/sectoral sanctions
- Focus: with whom and where transactions occur
- Note: applies alongside the EAR and ITAR; the research exclusion does not override it
Common misconceptions
What people often get wrong
Often heard: OFAC sanctions are just another name for export controls.
Actually: Export controls (EAR, ITAR) regulate what items and technology may be exported, while OFAC sanctions regulate with whom and where transactions may occur. A single activity can engage both regimes independently.
Often heard: Sanctions only restrict shipping goods to embargoed countries.
Actually: OFAC sanctions can restrict a broad range of dealings — payments, services, collaborations and other transactions with sanctioned parties — not only the physical export of goods.
Often heard: The fundamental research exclusion means sanctions do not apply to academic work.
Actually: The exclusion concerns export controls on information, not OFAC sanctions. Transactions with sanctioned countries, entities or individuals can still be restricted regardless of the research context.
Going deeper
