HN Explorer

Ask HN: Can You Sell Software Licenses or SaaS Solutions to Iran?

3 points by sanctionaway ↗ HN
I just had a customer reach out to me from Iran and I use a US corporation for my business and I know that the US has sanctions against doing business in Iran so I was wondering can you sell software to Iran or people or businesses in Iran?

I did a bit of research online but I couldn't really make sense of it and I was wondering if people here nkew clearly the answer.

6 comments

[ 3.4 ms ] story [ 15.4 ms ] thread
troydavis
(I am not a lawyer. In a past life, I ran SaaS and needed to know the basics about this)

> can you sell software to Iran or people or businesses in Iran?

No. OFAC prohibits essentially all transactions that involve or pass through Iran. For an exception, you'd need to either apply for an OFAC License (https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/... under "Applying for a Specific OFAC License"), or be covered in one of the "General Licenses," which are listed on the same page.

The general licenses are basically humanitarian and ways for Iranians to communicate with the outside world (example: https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/126/iran_gld1.pdf). Even if you thought you were covered, the only way to be (relatively) sure would be to ask an OFAC compliance attorney.

sanctionaway
Thank you, that's what I thought it might be. Good to hear someone else's opinion and experience.
Alex192
If you care for them you could just charge them for free, you can’t be paid by them nor lose anything from them using it anyway (at least for the non-SaaS applications) so why bother?

I know it sounds ridiculous, but idk maybe we should just start somewhere to stop sanctioning.

What’s more ridiculous is that one the main reason US is sanctioning Iran is for its nuclear blah blah (and the fear for using it) while on the other hand US was the only country that ruthlessly bombed Hiroshima and its civilian’s to dust…

Now everyone (most people) think US is the good guy while they’re being misguided by mass media companies, why? Because they’re owned by US, why? Because US has money (mostly debts…)

Some of my family members still live in Iran and they’re so annoyed from the whole sanctioning shit, these were only some of there complaint’s from the US government…

sanctionaway
Then I would lose my IP, maybe. You can care for people but caring doesn't proscribe your action takes certain forms. Insisting it does would be wrong, like saying, if you cared about me you'd ________.

The situation is hard for you I know. Your family and you suffer greatly, I'm sure.

I feel sorry for you that you face this. Even so, it is your situation to face and I cannot help you do that. May peace be upon you. سلام علیکم

Alex192
Thank you for your kindness <3

First of all, I live outside of Iran so it’s my family that I care about.

Secondly, I’m sorry but this is the most inhumane way to bundle up problems “That’s their situation and…” we gotta at least try.

If you wanna say it like that then we can say “it’s not our problem about poverty so why should we giveaway some money to charity?” Or a lot more situations other than that. Like the war in Ukraine, imagine everyone said “that’s their situation…”

What happened instead?? Million’s of people around the world (including me) stated that they support Ukraine (by only saying) and it lead to the point where the government’s are also supporting Ukraine…

Thirdly, I didn’t say you HAVE to I was just saying IF you care you can come up with an idea for them, not the exact idea that I came up in less than 10 seconds LOL