§ 560.525 Provision of certain legal services.

(a) The provision of the following legal services to or on behalf of the Government of Iran, an Iranian financial institution, or any other person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to § 560.211, or to or on behalf of a person in Iran, or in circumstances in which the benefit is otherwise received in Iran is authorized, provided that receipt of payment of professional fees and reimbursement of incurred expenses are authorized by or pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section or otherwise authorized pursuant to this part:

(1) Provision of legal advice and counseling on the requirements of and compliance with the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States, provided that such advice and counseling is not provided to facilitate transactions in violation of this part;

(2) Representation of persons named as defendants in or otherwise made a party to domestic United States legal, arbitration, or administrative proceedings;

(3) Initiation and conduct of domestic United States legal, arbitration, or administrative proceedings;

(4) Representation of persons before any federal or state agency with respect to the imposition, administration, or enforcement of United States sanctions against Iran;

(5) Initiation and conduct of legal proceedings, in the United States or abroad, including administrative, judicial, and arbitral proceedings and proceedings before international tribunals (including the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal in The Hague and the International Court of Justice):

(i) To resolve disputes between the Government of Iran or an Iranian national and the United States or a United States national;

(ii) Where the proceeding is contemplated under an international agreement; or

(iii) Where the proceeding involves the enforcement of awards, decisions, or orders resulting from legal proceedings within the scope of paragraph (a)(5)(i) or (a)(5)(ii) of this section, provided that any transaction, unrelated to the provision of legal services or the payment therefor, that is necessary or related to the execution of an award, decision, or order resulting from such legal proceeding, or otherwise necessary for the conduct of such proceeding, and which would otherwise be prohibited by this part requires a specific license in accordance with §§ 560.510 and 560.801;

(6) Provision of legal advice and counseling in connection with settlement or other resolution of matters described in paragraph (a)(5) of this section; and

(7) Provision of legal services in any other context in which prevailing United States law requires access to legal counsel at public expense.

(b) The provision of any other legal services to the Government of Iran, an Iranian financial institution, or any other person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to § 560.211, or to or on behalf of a person in Iran, or in circumstances in which the benefit is otherwise received in Iran, not otherwise authorized in this part, requires the issuance of a specific license.

(c) Entry into a settlement agreement or the enforcement of any lien, judgment, arbitral award, decree, or other order through execution, garnishment, or other judicial process purporting to transfer or otherwise alter or affect property or interests in property blocked pursuant to § 560.211 is prohibited unless specifically licensed in accordance with § 560.212(e).

(d)

(1) All receipts of payment of professional fees and reimbursement of incurred expenses for the provision of legal services authorized pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section to or on behalf of the Government of Iran, an Iranian financial institution, or any other person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to § 560.211 must be specifically licensed or otherwise authorized pursuant to § 560.553 of this part.

(2) All receipts of payment of professional fees and reimbursement of incurred expenses for the provision of legal services authorized pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section to or on behalf of a person in Iran, or in circumstances in which the benefit is otherwise received in Iran, other than those described in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, are authorized, except that nothing in this section authorizes the debiting of any blocked account or the transfer of any blocked property.

(e) This section does not authorize any transaction by an entity owned or controlled by a United States person and established or maintained outside the United States otherwise prohibited by § 560.215 if the transaction would be prohibited by any other part of this chapter V if engaged in by a U.S. person or in the United States.

[77 FR 64666, Oct. 22, 2012, as amended at 77 FR 75849, Dec. 26, 2012]