Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 05/2010

Disrupting Iran's Illicit Activities

Steven Pelak

March 2010

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Abstract

On March 23, 2010, Steven Pelak, the U.S. Justice Department's first national coordinator for export enforcement, addressed a special Policy Forum luncheon at The Washington Institute. Also serving as deputy chief of the department's Counterespionage Section, he supervises investigations and prosecutions of export-control and embargo violations. During the Policy Forum, Mr. Pelak discussed Justice Department efforts to enforce U.S. sanctions against Iran and disrupt that country's illicit procurement networks around the world. The following is a rapporteur's summary of his remarks.