§ 535.540 Disposition of certain tangible property.

(a) Specific licenses may be issued in appropriate cases at the discretion of the Secretary of the Treasury for the public sale and transfer of certain tangible property that is encumbered or contested within the meaning of § 535.333 (b) and (c) and that, because it is blocked by § 535.201, may not be sold or transferred without a specific license, provided that each of the following conditions is met:

(1) The holder or supplier of the property has made a good faith effort over a reasonable period of time to obtain payment of any amounts owed by Iran or the Iranian entity, or adequate assurance of such payment;

(2) Neither payment nor adequate assurance of payment has been received;

(3) The license applicant has, under provisions of law applicable prior to November 14, 1979, a right to sell, or reclaim and sell, such property by methods not requiring judicial proceedings, and would be able to exercise such right under applicable law, but for the prohibitions in this part, and

(4) The license applicant shall enter into an indemnification agreement acceptable to the United States providing for the applicant to indemnify the United States, in an amount up to 150 percent of the proceeds of sale, for any monetary loss which may accrue to the United States from a decision by the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal that the United States is liable to Iran for damages that are in any way attributable to the issuance of such license. In the event the applicant and those acting for or on its behalf are the only bidders on the property, the United States shall have the right to establish a reasonable indemnification amount.

(b) An applicant for a license under this section shall provide the Office of Foreign Assets Control with documentation on the points enumerated in paragraph (a) of this section. The applicant normally will be required to submit an opinion of legal counsel regarding the legal right claimed under paragraph (a)(3) of this section.

(c) Any sale of property licensed under this section shall be at public auction and shall be made in good faith in a commercially reasonable manner. Notwithstanding any provision of State law, the license applicant shall give detailed notice to the appropriate Iranian entity of the proposed sale or transfer at least 30 days prior to the sale or other transfer. In addition, if the license applicant has filed a claim with the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal, the license applicant shall give at least 30 days' advance notice of the sale to the Tribunal.

(d) The disposition of the proceeds of any sale licensed under this section, minus such reasonable costs of sale as are authorized by applicable law (which will be licensed to be deducted), shall be in accordance with either of the following methods:

(1) Deposit into a separate blocked, interest-bearing account at a domestic bank in the name of the licensed applicant; or

(2) Any reasonable disposition in accordance with provisions of law applicable prior to November 14, 1979, which may include unrestricted use of all or a portion of the proceeds, provided that the applicant shall post a bond or establish a standby letter of credit, subject to the prior approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, in favor of the United States in the amount of the proceeds of sale, prior to any such disposition.

(e) For purposes of this section, the term proceeds means any gross amount of money or other value realized from the sale. The proceeds shall include any amount equal to any debt owed by Iran which may have constituted all or part of a successful bid at the licensed sale.

(f) The proceeds of any such sale shall be deemed to be property governed by § 535.215 of this part. Any part of the proceeds that constitutes Iranian property which under § 535.215 is to be transferred to Iran shall be so transferred in accordance with that section.

(g) Any license pursuant to this section may be granted subject to conditions deemed appropriate by the Secretary of the Treasury.

(h) Any person licensed pursuant to this section is required to submit a report to the Chief of Licensing, Office of Foreign Assets Control, within ten business days of the licensed sale or other transfer, providing a full accounting of the transaction, including the costs, any payment to lienholders or others, including payments to Iran or Iranian entities, and documentation concerning any blocked account established or payments made.

[47 FR 31683, July 22, 1982]