§8783 — Title 22 Foreign Relations and Intercourse | U.S. Code

Summary

Allows an exception from the Act for work on a natural gas project if the project develops gas and builds and runs a pipeline to carry gas from Azerbaijan to Turkey and Europe, if it helps Turkey and European countries be less dependent on the Russian government and other governments that could be sanctioned under the Act, and if it started before August 10, 2012 under a production‑sharing agreement or a needed license with a government other than Iran. The exception stops when the President tells the appropriate congressional committees that either the share of ownership held by or for Iran‑linked entities grew compared with January 1, 2002, or an Iran‑linked entity took an operational role. "Iran‑linked entities" means entities owned or controlled by the Government of Iran or listed under 31 CFR 560.304, entities set up under Iranian law or with Iran’s participation or approval, entities they own or control, and their successors.

Title 22, §8783

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act shall apply to any activity relating to a project—

(1)for the development of natural gas and the construction and operation of a pipeline to transport natural gas from Azerbaijan to Turkey and Europe;

(2)that provides to Turkey and countries in Europe energy security and energy independence from the Government of the Russian Federation and other governments with jurisdiction over persons subject to sanctions imposed under this Act or amendments made by this Act; and

(3)that was initiated before August 10, 2012, pursuant to a production-sharing agreement, or an ancillary agreement necessary to further a production-sharing agreement, entered into with, or a license granted by, the government of a country other than Iran before August 10, 2012.

(b)(1)The exception under subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to a project described in that subsection on or after the date on which the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that—

(A)the percentage of the equity interest in the project held by or on behalf of an entity described in paragraph (2) has increased relative to the percentage of the equity interest in the project held by or on behalf of such an entity on January 1, 2002; or

(B)an entity described in paragraph (2) has assumed an operational role in the project.

(2)An entity described in this paragraph is—

(A)an entity—

(i)owned or controlled by the Government of Iran or identified under section 560.304 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to the definition of the Government of Iran); or

(ii)organized under the laws of Iran or with the participation or approval of the Government of Iran;

(B)an entity owned or controlled by an entity described in subparagraph (A); or

(C)a successor entity to an entity described in subparagraph (A).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 112–158, Aug. 10, 2012, 126 Stat. 1214, known as the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 8701 of this title and Tables.

§8783 Applicability to Certain Natural Gas Projects