Guide Summary

Whilst the current war in the Middle East continues, one of the primary ways you can help protect both the country you live in and your organisation is to make sure you are screening against all Iranian linked sanctions. Ongoing developments underscore how quickly the situation is evolving — and how interconnected the risks have become. Iranian sanctions are among the most complex and rapidly evolving compliance regimes in the world, and the obligations facing organisations across the GCC, the wider MENA region, UK, Europe and beyond have never been more demanding — or more consequential.

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What's Inside

• Four core compliance principles every organisation must have in place right now — continuous screening against OFAC, EU, and HMT lists; beneficial ownership tracing under the 50% rule; understanding the threat of corporate concealment; and why any transaction touching the US financial system falls under US jurisdiction regardless of local law
• A country-by-country breakdown of legal requirements across the UK, Channel Islands, UAE, KSA, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Syria, and Lebanon — covering the action required, which sanctions frameworks apply, and your specific legal obligations in each jurisdiction
• A non-compliance spotlight on US secondary sanctions and extraterritorial reach — and why activities that are permissible under local frameworks can still trigger US enforcement exposure
• A full consequences table showing targeted financial penalties and wider macro risks by country, with a clear warning that wilful blindness is no longer a defence
• A practical guide to how Themis can help — from immediate automated screening and ongoing monitoring to enhanced due diligence, supply chain mapping, and proactive risk management strategy — with timelines for when each action should be taken