To the Congress of the United States:

Pursuant to Section 204(b) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1703, I hereby report to the Congress that I have today exercised the authority granted by this Act to take certain trade, financial and other measures against Iran and its nationals.

1. On November 14, 1979, I took the step of blocking certain property or interests in property of the Government of Iran, its instrumentalities and controlled entities and the Central Bank of Iran. At that time the United States Embassy in Tehran was occupied and American personnel were being held hostage there in flagrant violation of international law. In addition, Iran had threatened suddenly to withdraw its assets from United States banks, to refuse to accept payment in dollars for oil, and to repudiate obligations owed to the United States and to United States nationals. Iran’s actions attacked the foundations of the international legal order as well as the stability of the world economy and the international monetary system.

2. The extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, which I determined existed on November 14, continues today. The United States has used every diplomatic and legal means available to it to end this extraordinary threat, but without avail. Iran has ignored or rebuffed a decision by the International Court of Justice, resolutions by the Security Council of the United Nations and efforts by the Secretary General of the United Nations and others to resolve the underlying problems.

3. In light of the above, it is necessary for me to order the following to be prohibited:

(a) The sale, supply or other transfer, by any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, of any items, commodities or products, except food, medicine and supplies intended strictly for medical purposes, and donations of clothing intended to be used to relieve human suffering, from the United States or from any foreign country, whether or not originating in the United States, either to or destined for Iran, an Iranian governmental entity in Iran, any other person or body in Iran, or any other person or body for the purposes of any enterprise carried on in Iran.

(b) The shipment by vessel, aircraft, railway or other land transport of United States registration or owned by or under charter to any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States or the carriage (whether or not in bond) by land transport facilities across the United States of any of the items, commodities and products covered by subparagraph (a) of this paragraph which are consigned to or destined for Iran, an Iranian governmental entity or any person or body in Iran, or to any enterprise carried on in Iran.

(c) The shipment from the United States of any of the items, products and commodities covered by subparagraph (a) of this paragraph on vessels or aircraft registered in Iran.

(d) The following acts, when committed by any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States in connection with any transaction involving Iran, an Iranian governmental entity, an enterprise controlled by Iran or an Iranian governmental entity, or any person in Iran:
(i) Making available any new credits or loans;
(ii) Making available any new deposit facilities or allowing substantial increases in non-dollar deposits which exist as of the date of the Order;
(iii) Allowing more favorable terms of payment than are customarily used in international commercial transactions; or
(iv) Failing to act in a businesslike manner in exercising any rights when payments due on existing credits or loans are not made in a timely manner.

(e) The engaging by any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States in any service contract in support of an industrial project in Iran, except any such contract entered into prior to the date of the Order or concerned with medical care.

(f) The engaging by any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States in any transaction which evades or avoids, or has the purpose or effect of evading or avoiding, any of the prohibitions set forth above.

Attached is a copy of this Executive Order which I am transmitting pursuant to 50 U.S.C. 1641(b).

4. The prohibitions in paragraph 3 above shall not apply to transactions by any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States which is a non-banking association, corporation, or other organization organized and doing business under the laws of any foreign country.

5. The above measures are being taken in furtherance of the objectives of Resolution 461 adopted by the Security Council of the United Nations on December 31, 1979, and would have been specifically mandated by the Security Council on January 13, 1980, but for a veto by the Soviet Union.

6. This action is taken with respect to Iran and its nationals for the reasons described in this report.