US Policy — 2026-07-28

US Treasury Removes 84 People and Firms From Sanctions Lists in Modernization Review

BLUFOFAC's second pruning tranche signals a durable institutional shift toward list hygiene, not a relaxation of sanctions policy on active national security targets.

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control removed 84 individuals and entities from its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List on Monday, the second tranche in a modernization review Secretary Scott Bessent launched in May, according to Treasury 1. The removals cover 36 deceased individuals and associated listings, 33 Iraq-related entities first designated in 1991 or 1992, seven outdated Colombia narcotics listings, and eight disrupted narcotics kingpins 23. OFAC separately updated identifying information for 22 individuals and entities and resolved 18 sets of duplicate listings 12. The Korea Herald reported the removals included a North Korean firm previously designated for supporting Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs 4. Treasury said each removal underwent interagency review to confirm no harm to U.S. foreign policy or national security interests and that names remain subject to reinstatement, following an earlier May round that removed 76 targets and the June 29 launch of an online portal for delisting petitions 123.

Analysis
OFAC's second tranche clears structural backlog rather than reversing judgments on live targets, concentrating on decades-old Iraq and Colombia listings and deceased individuals while every removal, including a North Korea-linked weapons-program firm, still passes interagency vetting, indicating administrative pruning rather than any softening on proliferation sanctions. Sourcing rests on a single Treasury press release reproduced across outlets rather than independently corroborated, yielding broad convergence but shallow verification. The June 29 reconsideration portal institutionalizes delisting as a standing process beyond this one-off review, and trimming legacy entries ahead of any intensified Russia-focused sanctions push may instead be clearing list clutter that would otherwise dilute enforcement focus on higher-priority targets.

4 sources

Treasury Announces Second Round of Sanctions Removals, Updates in Modernization Initiative - U.S. Department of the Treasury
US Treasury trims 84 people, firms from its sanctions list as review continues - KELO
Treasury removes more than 80 people, companies from sanctions list as part of review - Fox Business
US removes sanctions on 84 targets, including North Korean firm, in 'modernization' effort - The Korea Herald