July 5, 2007 12:55PM 

# Here’s One Embargo SiCKO Won’t Violate 

By [Michael F. Cannon](https://www.cato.org/people/michael-f-cannon) 

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*USA Today* [initially reported](http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:u5H7B87uHYgJ:blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/07/moore-will-show.html+%22Moore+will+show+off+latest+film+at+Tehran+film+festival%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us) that Michael Moore will be screening his new film *[SiCKO](https://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=3897)* at a Tehran film festival in October. Alas, one of Moore’s producers responded with [an even-tempered denial](http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mikeinthenews/index.php?id=9974) (which was [dutifully reported](http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/07/moore-invited-t.html) by *USA Today*).

That’s a shame.

With the help of a beautiful and intelligent attorney, I uncovered a Treasury Department [guide](http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs/iran/iran.pdf) to U.S. sanctions against Iran. Officially speaking:

> The receipt or transmission of postal, telegraphic, telephonic or other personal communications, **which does not involve the transfer of anything of value**, between the United States and Iran is authorized.

I’d say [that gives *SiCKO* the green light](https://www.cato.org/2007/06/21/my-56-word-review-of-sicko/).

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[General](https://www.cato.org/general), [Health Care](https://www.cato.org/health-care) 

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