22 U.S.C. § 8574 — Strategy to counter role of the People’s Republic of China in evasion of sanctions with respect to Iran

(a) In general. Within 120 days after April 24, 2024, the Secretary of State, working with other relevant federal agencies, must send the appropriate congressional committees a written strategy — and give those committees a briefing — on the role of the People's Republic of China in helping evade U.S. sanctions on Iranian-origin petroleum products. This must assess options (1) to strengthen enforcement of those sanctions, and (2) to expand sanctions targeting China's role in producing, transporting, storing, refining, and selling Iranian-origin petroleum products. (b) Elements. The strategy must include: (1) a description and assessment of sanctions used before April 24, 2024, against Chinese individuals and entities directly or indirectly tied to smuggling Iranian-origin petroleum; (2) an assessment of (A) Iranian-owned entities operating in China's petroleum refining supply chains, (B) China's role in global petroleum refining supply chains, (C) how China uses that role for political goals, (D) China's petroleum trading partners, (E) what share of China's energy use comes from illegally imported Iranian petroleum, and (F) how much influence the Chinese Communist Party has over independent "teapot" refineries; (3) a detailed plan for (A) monitoring the seas for sanctionable smuggling activity, (B) identifying individuals, entities, and vessels engaged in sanctionable Iranian-petroleum activity — including vessels that transport sanctioned petrochemicals, do ship-to-ship transfers of them, have disabled identification systems, or "flag hop" between national registries; individuals or entities storing or refining those petrochemicals; and use of port entry and docking permissions for sanctioned vessels — (C) deterring violations by educating and engaging insurance providers, parent companies, and vessel operators, (D) working with U.S. allies and partners in the Arabian Peninsula, including through maritime task forces, to build enforcement capacity through training and assistance, and (E) using public communication and diplomacy to highlight how petroleum smuggling supports Iran's terrorism and nuclear program; and (4) an assessment of (A) the total number of vessels smuggling Iranian-origin petroleum, (B) how many of those are bound for China, (C) how many are smuggling specifically for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, (D) any Chinese interference with U.S. investigation or enforcement efforts, (E) how effective sanctions on insurers of smuggling vessels have been, (F) the personnel and resources needed to enforce these sanctions, and (G) how smuggled Iranian petroleum affects global energy markets. (c) Form. The strategy must be submitted in unclassified form, though it may include a classified index.