Federal Register
US government's official daily journal for federal regulations and presidential actions.
Last refreshed: 18 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
How did the Federal Register confirm that the Iran sanctions waiver had lapsed?
Timeline for Federal Register
Carried zero Iran or OFAC documents between 15 and 18 April
Iran Conflict 2026: GL-U lapses on a cable-TV quote- How did we know the Iran sanctions waiver expired?
- The Federal Register carried zero Iran or OFAC documents between 15-18 April 2026, confirming no replacement for General License U was issued before it lapsed at 00:01 EDT on 19 April.Source: Federal Register
- What is the Federal Register and why does it matter for sanctions?
- The Federal Register is the US government's daily journal for all executive orders and regulatory notices; OFAC sanctions instruments must appear there to have legal effect.
Background
The Federal Register is the official daily journal of the US federal government, published by the Office of the Federal Register under the National Archives. It carries all executive orders, presidential proclamations, agency rules, and regulatory notices including OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) sanctions instruments. During the Iran crisis, the absence of any Iran or OFAC entries in the Federal Register between 15 and 18 April 2026 confirmed that General License U (GL-U) had been allowed to lapse without a replacement instrument being issued.
The Federal Register's significance in the GL-U story was that it provided definitive documentary evidence: when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on cable television that GL-U would not be renewed, the Register's silence on any replacement confirmed that no new sanctions carve-out had been issued. The White House presidential-actions index listed nine Enbridge Energy pipeline permits and a budget Sequestration Order for the same period, with nothing on Iran.
Reporters and lawyers use the Federal Register as the authoritative record for sanctions compliance. The lapse of GL-U at 00:01 EDT on 19 April shifted secondary-sanction exposure to Indian refiners and third-country buyers of Iranian crude.
