Current sanctions by the United States do not prohibit the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in Iran and Syria. Payments to protect IPR can be made directly, or after the issuance of a General License by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department.

General Licenses exclude certain types of payments from sanctioned regimes and there is no need to obtain special written consent from the OFAC to make such payments. All U.S. sanctions programs currently allow U.S. persons and entities to perform the following transactions:

  • The filing and prosecution of any application to obtain a patent, trademark, copyright, or other form of intellectual property protection;
  • The receipt of a patent, trademark, copyright, or other form of intellectual property protection;The renewal or maintenance of a patent, trademark, copyright, or other form of intellectual property protection; and
  • The filing and prosecution of any opposition or infringement proceeding with respect to a patent, trademark, copyright, or other form of intellectual property protection, or the entrance of a defense to any such proceeding.

Please do not hesitate to contact us in case you have any questions or require any additional information.