Matt Axelrod Interviewed by WSJ About Hong Kong as Hub for Iran Evading Sanctions
In the Media | April 14, 2026
The Wall Street Journal
A Wall Street Journal article describing how Hong Kong has flourished as China’s hub for helping Iran survive punishing sanctions, much to the frustration of U.S. officials (“How Hong Kong Helps the Flow of Iran’s Hidden Billions,” April 11, 2026), includes commentary by partner Matt Axelrod.
Matt told the publication that, during the Biden administration, Chinese officials were reluctant to act when materials restricted by U.S. law were shipped through China. “There was definitely denial of responsibility to take action because it didn’t violate their laws,” he said. “And there was talk about sovereignty and what they viewed as our attempts to impose some sort of extraterritorial restrictions on U.S. items.”
Matt, who co-chairs Gibson Dunn’s Sanctions and Export Enforcement practice group, is a former Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the Bureau of Industry and Security.