The Iran (Sanctions) (Overseas Territories) Order 2023

Made: 13th December 2023

Coming into force: 14th December 2023

At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 13th day of December 2023Present,The King’s Most Excellent Majesty in Council

His Majesty, in exercise of the powers conferred on Him by section 63(3)(c) and (4) of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018[^f00001], is pleased, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, to make the following Order:

Citation, commencement and extent

1

• (1) This Order may be cited as the Iran (Sanctions) (Overseas Territories) Order 2023 and comes into force on 14th December 2023.

• (2) This Order extends to each British overseas territory listed in Schedule 1.

Extension of the Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023

2

The Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023[^f00002] as amended from time to time extend to each British overseas territory listed in Schedule 1 with the modifications specified in Schedule 2.

Extension of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018

3

Subject to the modifications set out in paragraph (c), the following provisions of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 extend to each British overseas territory listed in Schedule 1 for the purposes of the Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023 as modified and extended to the territories by this Order—

• (a) section 44 (protection for acts done for purposes of compliance);

• (b) section 52(3) (Crown application);

• (c) section 53 (saving for prerogative powers), except that, in its application to a particular British overseas territory, the reference in subsection (1) of that section to the United Kingdom is to be read as a reference to that territory.

SCHEDULE 1 — British overseas territories

• Anguilla

• British Antarctic Territory

• British Indian Ocean Territory

• Cayman Islands

• Falkland Islands

• Montserrat

• Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands

• St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

• The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in the Island of Cyprus

• Turks and Caicos Islands

• Virgin Islands

SCHEDULE 2 — Modifications to be made in the extension of the Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023 to each British overseas territory listed in Schedule 1

1

In regulation 1 (citation, commencement and extent)—

• (a) in the heading, omit “, commencement and extent”;

• (b) omit paragraphs (2) and (3).

2

In regulation 2 (interpretation)—

• (a) the existing text becomes paragraph (1);

• (b) in that paragraph—

• (i) in the appropriate places, insert the following definitions—

• “aircraft” has the same meaning as it has in section 6(9) of the Act;

• “authorised officer” means, in relation to the Territory—a member of His Majesty’s forces in the Territory,a police or customs officer of the Territory,a person authorised by the Governor for the purposes of exercising, whether generally or in a particular case, any power conferred by—regulation 70 (finance: powers to request information),regulation 71 (finance: production of documents),regulation 73 (trade: information powers),regulation 75 (general trade licences: inspection of records),regulation 76 (disclosure of information), regulation 77 (finance: disclosure to the Governor), regulation 78A (suspected ships, aircraft or vehicles), orregulation 78B (search warrants), orany person acting under the authority of a person falling within any of paragraphs (a) to (c);

• “financial sanctions licence” means, in relation to the Territory, a licence issued by the Governor under regulation 60(1);

• “the Governor” is to be read in accordance with regulation 4A;

• “His Majesty’s forces” does not include a force of any country, other than the United Kingdom, that is a member of the Commonwealth;

• “ship” has the same meaning as it has in section 7(14) of the Act;

• “Supreme Court of the Territory” means—in relation to Anguilla, Montserrat and the Virgin Islands, the High Court of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court;in relation to the Cayman Islands, the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands;in relation to the British Antarctic Territory, the Falkland Islands, Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Supreme Court of that territory;in relation to the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in the Island of Cyprus, the Senior Judges’ Court of those Areas;

• “Territory aircraft” means, in relation to the Territory—an aircraft registered in the Territory, oran aircraft which is not registered under the law of a country outside the Territory but is wholly owned by persons each of whom is a Territory person;

• “Territory person” means, in relation to the Territory, a person who is—an individual ordinarily resident in the Territory who is—a British citizen, a British overseas territories citizen, a British National (Overseas) or a British Overseas citizen,a person who under the British Nationality Act 1981[^f00003] is a British subject, ora British protected person within the meaning of that Act, ora body incorporated or constituted under the law of any part of the Territory;

• “Territory ship” means, in relation to the Territory—a ship registered in the Territory, ora ship which is not registered under the law of a country outside the Territory but is wholly owned by persons each of whom is a Territory person;

• “vehicle” means a land transport vehicle.

• (ii) omit the definitions of—

• (aa) “the Commissioners”,

• (bb) “director disqualification licence”,

• (cc) “Treasury licence”, and

• (dd) “United Kingdom person”;

• (c) after that paragraph insert—

(2) In the application of these Regulations to a particular British overseas territory, the expression “the Territory” means that territory.

3

In regulation 3 (application of prohibitions and requirements outside the United Kingdom)—

• (a) in the heading, for “United Kingdom” substitute “Territory”;

• (b) in paragraphs (1) and (4), for “United Kingdom person” substitute “Territory person”;

• (c) in paragraphs (1), (4) and (7), for “United Kingdom” substitute “Territory”;

• (d) in paragraphs (2) and (5), after “in the territorial sea” insert “of the Territory”;

• (e) in paragraphs (3) and (6), for “Treasury licence” substitute “financial sanctions licence”.

4

In regulation 4 (purposes), for “the regulations contained in this instrument that are made under section 1 of the Act” substitute “these Regulations”.

5

At the end of Part 1 (General), insert—

(4A) (1) In these Regulations, “the Governor” means, in relation to the Territory, the person holding or acting in the office of Governor of the Territory, or, if there is no such office, the officer for the time being administering the Territory. (2) The Governor may, to such extent and subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Governor thinks proper, delegate or authorise the delegation of any of the Governor’s powers under these Regulations to any person, or class or description of persons, and any references in these Regulations to the Governor are to be construed accordingly. (3) In the exercise of any power conferred on the Governor by these Regulations, the Governor is to act in their discretion.

6

Omit the following regulations (including the headings)—

• (a) regulation 5 (power to designate persons);

• (b) regulation 6 (conditions for the designation of persons by name);

• (c) regulation 7 (conditions for the designation of persons by description);

• (d) regulation 8 (designation criteria: meaning of “involved person”).

7

For regulation 10 (notification and publicity where power to designate by name is used), substitute—

(10) (1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Governor must— (a) publish a list of designated persons, and (b) keep the list up to date. (2) Where, in accordance with regulation 10 (notification and publicity where power to designate by name is used) (as it has effect in the United Kingdom) the Secretary of State is not required to publicise generally a designation, variation or revocation, the Governor must not include in the list under paragraph (1) any details of that designation, variation or revocation. (3) The Governor may publish the list under paragraph (1) in any form the Governor considers appropriate, including by means of a website. (4) For the purpose of this regulation, “designated person” means any person for the time being designated by name by the Secretary of State under regulation 5(1) (power to designate persons by name) (as it has effect in the United Kingdom).

8

In regulation 11 (confidential information in certain cases where power to designate by name is used)—

• (a) in the heading, for “where power to designate by name is used” substitute “: designation by name”;

• (b) omit paragraph (1);

• (c) in paragraph (2)(a), for “that is to be treated as confidential in accordance with paragraph (1)” substitute “which the Secretary of State has specified is to be treated as confidential under regulation 11(1) (as it has effect in the United Kingdom)”;

• (d) in paragraph (7)—

• (i) for “High Court (in Scotland, the Court of Session)” substitute “Supreme Court of the Territory”;

• (ii) omit “(in Scotland, an interdict)”.

9

For regulation 12 (notification and publicity where power to designate by description is used), substitute—

(12) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) the Governor must— (a) publish a list of designations by description, and (b) keep the list up to date. (2) Where, in accordance with regulation 12 (notification and publicity where power to designate by description is used) (as it has effect in the United Kingdom) the Secretary of State is not required to publicise generally a designation, variation or revocation, the Governor must not include in the list under paragraph (1) any details of that designation, variation or revocation. (3) The Governor may publish the list under paragraph (1) in any form the Governor considers appropriate, including by means of a website. (4) For the purposes of this regulation, “designations by description” means designations where the Secretary of State has for the time being provided that persons of a specified description are designated persons under regulation 5(2) (power to designate persons by description) (as it has effect in the United Kingdom).

10

In regulation 13 (confidential information in certain cases where power to designate by description is used)—

• (a) in the heading, for “where power to designate by description is used” substitute “: designation by description”;

• (b) omit paragraph (1);

• (c) in paragraph (2)(a), for “that is to be treated as confidential in accordance with paragraph (1)” substitute “which the Secretary of State has specified is to be treated as confidential under regulation 13(1) (as it has effect in the United Kingdom)”;

• (d) in paragraph (7)—

• (i) for “High Court (in Scotland, the Court of Session)” substitute “Supreme Court of the Territory”;

• (ii) omit “(in Scotland, an interdict)”.

11

For regulation 14 (meaning of “designated person” in Part 3) substitute—

(14) In this Part, a “designated person” means a person who is designated from time to time by the Secretary of State under regulation 5 (power to designate persons) (as it has effect in the United Kingdom) for the purposes of regulations 15 to 19 (asset-freeze etc.) (as they have effect in the United Kingdom).

12

Omit Part 4 (Director disqualification sanctions) (including the heading).

13

For regulation 22 (immigration) substitute—

(22) (1) A person who is designated from time to time by the Secretary of State under regulation 5 (power to designate persons) (as it has effect in the United Kingdom) for the purposes of regulation 22 (immigration) (as it has effect in the United Kingdom) must not enter, transit or remain in the Territory. (2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to a person who— (a) belongs to the Territory, or (b) in respect of the Sovereign Base Areas, is permitted to reside in the Sovereign Base Areas under the law applicable to the Sovereign Base Areas. (3) Paragraph (1) does not apply to a person if the application of that paragraph to that person would be contrary to the United Kingdom’s obligations under — (a) the European Convention on Human Rights, or (b) the Refugee Convention. (4) Paragraph (1) is subject to regulation 67 (immigration directions). (5) For the purposes of this regulation, a person (“P”) belongs to the Territory if— (a) in respect of Anguilla, P is an Anguillian (within the meaning given to that term in the law of Anguilla); (b) in respect of the Cayman Islands, P is a Caymanian (within the meaning given to that term in the law of the Cayman Islands); (c) in respect of the Falkland Islands, P has Falkland Islands status (within the meaning given to that term in the law of the Falkland Islands); (d) in respect of Montserrat, P is a Montserratian (within the meaning given to that term in the law of Montserrat); (e) in respect of Pitcairn, P has the right of abode in Pitcairn under the law of Pitcairn; (f) in respect of St Helena, P has St Helenian status (within the meaning given to that term in the law of St Helena); (g) in respect of Tristan da Cunha, P has the right of abode in Tristan da Cunha under the law of Tristan da Cunha; (h) in respect of the Turks and Caicos Islands, P is a Turks and Caicos Islander (within the meaning given to that term in the law of the Turks and Caicos Islands); (i) in respect of the Virgin Islands, P belongs to the Virgin Islands (within the meaning given to that term in the law of the Virgin Islands). (6) In this regulation— - “the European Convention on Human Rights” means the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms done at Rome on 4 November 1950 and the Protocols to the Convention[^f00004]; - “the Refugee Convention” means the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees done at Geneva on 28 July 1951 and the Protocol to the Convention[^f00005]; - “Pitcairn” means Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands; - “the Sovereign Base Areas” means the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in the Island of Cyprus.

14

In regulation 27 (interpretation of other expressions used in this Part)—

• (a) For paragraph 1 substitute—

(1) For the purposes of this Part— (a) “export” means export from the Territory, (b) “place” has the meaning given by paragraph 36 of Schedule 1 to the Act, and (c) goods transported out of the Territory by aircraft or ship as stores within the meaning of CEMA (see section 1(1) and (4) of that Act) are to be regarded as exported.

• (b) for paragraph (2) substitute—

(2) In this Part, any reference to the Territory includes a reference to the territorial sea of the Territory.

15

In regulation 28 (export of restricted goods), at the end insert—

(3) A person who contravenes a prohibition in paragraph (1) commits an offence, but it is a defence for a person charged with the offence of contravening paragraph (1) to show that the person did not know and had no reasonable cause to suspect that the export was to, or the goods were for use in, Iran (as the case may be).

16

In regulation 29 (supply and delivery of restricted goods), in paragraph (4), for “United Kingdom, the Isle of Man” substitute “Territory”.

17

In regulation 34 (brokering services: non-UK activity relating to restricted goods and restricted technology)—

• (a) in the heading, for “non-UK” substitute “non-Territory”;

• (b) in paragraph (1), for “non-UK country”, in each place it occurs, substitute “non-Territory country”;

• (c) for paragraph (4) substitute—

(4) In this regulation— - “non-Territory country” means a country that is not the Territory; - “third country” means a country that is not the Territory or Iran.

18

In regulation 37 (export of unmanned aerial vehicle goods), at the end insert—

(3) A person who contravenes a prohibition in paragraph (1) commits an offence, but it is a defence for a person charged with the offence of contravening paragraph (1) to show that the person did not know and had no reasonable cause to suspect that the export was to, or the goods were for use in, Iran (as the case may be).

19

In regulation 38 (supply and delivery of unmanned aerial vehicle goods), in paragraph (4), for “United Kingdom, the Isle of Man” substitute “Territory”.

20

In regulation 43 (brokering services: non-UK activity relating to unmanned aerial vehicle goods and unmanned aerial vehicle technology)—

• (a) in the heading, for “non-UK” substitute “non-Territory”;

• (b) in paragraph (1), for “non-UK country”, in each place it occurs, substitute “non-Territory country”;

• (c) for paragraph (4) substitute—