Iran Sanctions Cases Ebb in Run-Up to Congressional Vote

As President Barack Obama presses Congress to approve a nuclear power agreement with Tehran, new U.S. prosecutions of Iranian sanctions violations have tapered off.

The reasons are unclear. Iran may be making fewer attempts to skirt sanctions imposed in recent years, the Justice Department could be building cases that aren’t yet ready to be filed in court or the government could be moving slowly to avoid drawing attention to Iranian conduct at a sensitive time.