Daily · US Sanctions & Trading Rule Shifts · August 27, 2026

Iran sanctions and sector determinations

The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has published two new Iran-related Web General Licenses, AA and BB. These licenses apply to entities and transactions subject to Iran-related sanctions. For businesses, general licenses are critical as they typically provide authorized exceptions to sanctions, allowing certain activities to proceed without needing a specific license from the government. Our read: companies with complex global supply chains or financial footprints should immediately assess these licenses to determine if previously restricted activities are now permitted.

Additionally, OFAC published a sector determination issued under Executive Order 13902. This determination impacts specific sectors identified under that order, meaning businesses operating in those fields must evaluate whether their current operations or partnerships now fall under a different regulatory status or restriction level.

Trading amendments across US exchanges

The SEC has approved several technical changes to exchange rules that impact liquidity and options trading. For participants in the Texas Stock Exchange LLC, the Warrant Performance Incentive Program has been amended to include Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs) within the definitions of High-Volume and Liquidity Improvement Symbols. This change effectively expands the scope of securities that can trigger incentive payments, which may alter trading strategies for market makers and high-frequency traders.

Simultaneously, three other exchanges—MIAX PEARL, LLC, the Miami International Securities Exchange, LLC, and MIAX Sapphire, LLC—have updated their Rule 404. These amendments modify the Short Term Option Series Program specifically for Qualifying Securities. For firms trading these securities, these changes alter the available series of option contracts, potentially impacting hedging strategies and short-term speculative positions. Our read: these updates are primarily operational, but participants in these specific exchanges should update their trading systems to reflect the new symbol and option categories.

This overview is informational, not legal or compliance advice. Consult your lawyer or compliance specialist on specific decisions.

Sources

This overview is based on official regulator publications for the period:

EU (2)

UK (3)

US (10)