535.416—Letters of credit.
(a) Question.
Prior to the effective date, a bank subject to the jurisdiction of the United States has issued or confirmed a documentary letter of credit for a non-Iranian account party in favor of an Iranian entity. Can payment be made upon presentation of documentary drafts?
Answer. Yes, provided payment is made into a blocked account in a domestic bank.
(b) Question.
Prior to the effective date, a domestic branch of a bank organized or incorporated under the laws of the United States has issued or confirmed a documentary letter of credit for a non-Iranian account party in favor of an Iranian entity. Payment is to be made through a foreign branch of the bank. Can payment be made upon presentation of documentary drafts?
Answer. Yes, provided payment is made into a blocked account in a domestic bank.
(c) Question.
Prior to the effective date, a foreign bank confirms a documentary letter of credit issued by its U.S. agency or branch for a non-Iranian account party in favor of an Iranian entity. Can the U.S. agency or branch of the foreign bank transfer funds to the foreign bank in connection with that foreign bank's payment under the letter of credit?
Answer. No, the U.S. agency's payment is blocked, unless the foreign bank made payment to the Iranian entity prior to the effective date.
(d) Question.
Prior to the effective date, a bank subject to the jurisdiction of the United States has issued or confirmed a documentary letter of credit for a non-Iranian account party in favor of an Iranian entity. The Iranian entity presents documentry drafts which are deficient in some detail. May the non-Iranian account party waive the documentary deficiency and authorize the bank to make payment?
Answer. Yes, provided payment is made into a blocked account in a domestic bank. However, the non-Iranian account party is not obligated by these Regulations to exercise a waiver of documentary deficiencies. In cases where such a waiver is not exercised, the bank's payment obligation, if any, under the letter of credit remains blocked, as does any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the account party. The documents are also blocked.
(e) Question.
Prior to the effective date, a bank subject to the jurisdiction of the United States has issued or confirmed a documentary letter of credit for a non-Iranian account party in favor of an Iranian entity. The Iranian entity does not make timely, complete, or proper presentation of documents, and the letter of credit expires. Does there remain a blocked payment obligation held by the bank?
Answer. No, but any documents held by the bank continue to be blocked. It is also possible that the account party still has a related obligation to the Iranian entity and any such obligation would be blocked.
(f) Question.
A bank subject to the jurisdiction of the United States has issued a letter of credit for a U.S. account party in favor of an Iranian entity. The letter of credit is confirmed by a foreign bank. Prior to or after the effective date, the Iranian entity presents documents to the U.S. issuing bank. Payment is deferred. After the effective date, the Iranian entity requests that the issuing bank either return the documents to the Iranian entity or transfer them to the confirming bank. Can the issuing bank do so?
Answer. No. The U.S. issuing bank can neither return nor transfer the documents without a license. The documents constitute blocked property under the Regulations.
(g) Question.
Prior to the effective date, a bank subject to the jurisdiction of the United States has issued or confirmed a documentary letter of credit for a non-Iranian account party in favor of an Iranian entity. The Iranian entity presents documentary drafts which are deficient in some detail. May the non-Iranian account party waive the documentary deficiency and make payment?
Answer. Yes, provided payment is made into a blocked account in a domestic bank. However, the non-Iranian account party is not obligated by these Regulations to exercise a waiver of documentary deficiencies. In cases where such a waiver is not exercised, the amount of the payment held by the account party is blocked.