{"attribution":{"source":"legal.exploreworldai.com","canonical":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=us:cadc-24-5277-2026-07-14","cite_as":"NovaCopilot, legal.exploreworldai.com (https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=us:cadc-24-5277-2026-07-14)","license":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/revision","version":"legal-2026-11-03","fingerprint":"ewai:us:fae3c7","proof":"sha256:0f1e3f7fdc6614e5b4392fb35ef751b15986178d1f5c24f68e2a7ec1dd2534a6","jurisdiction":"us","lang":"en","publisher":"NovaCopilot by ExploreWorld Legal","terms":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/om"},"brand_source":"Source: NovaCopilot","item":{"schema_version":"1.0.0","id":"us:cadc-24-5277-2026-07-14","jurisdiction":"us","lang":"en","brand_source":"Source: NovaCopilot","brand":{"product":"NovaCopilot","platform":"ExploreWorldAI","infrastructure":"ExploreWorld Legal","infrastructure_url":"legal.exploreworldai.com","legal_entity":"Valkiv Ventures 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matter","paragraphs":["para_1","para_2","para_3","para_4","para_5","para_6","para_7","para_8","para_9","para_10","para_11","para_12","para_13","para_14","para_15","para_16","para_17","para_18","para_19","para_20","para_21","para_22","para_23","para_24","para_25","para_26","para_27","para_28","para_29","para_30","para_31","para_32","para_33","para_34","para_35","para_36","para_37","para_38","para_39","para_40","para_41","para_42","para_43","para_44","para_45","para_46","para_47","para_48","para_49","para_50","para_51","para_52","para_53","para_54","para_55","para_56","para_57","para_58","para_59","para_60","para_61","para_62","para_63","para_64","para_65","para_66","para_67","para_68","para_69","para_70","para_71","para_72","para_73","para_74","para_75","para_76","para_77","para_78","para_79","para_80","para_81","para_82","para_83","para_84","para_85","para_86","para_87","para_88","para_89","para_90","para_91","para_92","para_93","para_94","para_95","para_96","para_97","para_98","para_99","para_100","para_101","para_102","para_103","para_104","para_105","para_106","para_107","para_108","para_109","para_110","para_111","para_112","para_113","para_114","para_115","para_116","para_117","para_118","para_119","para_120","para_121","para_122","para_123","para_124","para_125","para_126","para_127","para_128","para_129","para_130","para_131","para_132","para_133","para_134","para_135","para_136","para_137","para_138","para_139","para_140","para_141","para_142","para_143","para_144","para_145","para_146","para_147","para_148","para_149","para_150","para_151","para_152","para_153","para_154","para_155","para_156","para_157","para_158","para_159","para_160","para_161","para_162","para_163","para_164","para_165","para_166","para_167","para_168","para_169","para_170","para_171","para_172","para_173","para_174","para_175","para_176","para_177","para_178","para_179","para_180","para_181","para_182","para_183","para_184","para_185","para_186","para_187","para_188","para_189","para_190","para_191","para_192","para_193","para_194","para_195","para_196","para_197","para_198","para_199","para_200","para_201","para_202","para_203","para_204","para_205","para_206","para_207","para_208","para_209","para_210","para_211","para_212","para_213","para_214","para_215","para_216","para_217","para_218","para_219","para_220","para_221","para_222","para_223","para_224","para_225","para_226","para_227","para_228","para_229","para_230","para_231","para_232","para_233","para_234","para_235","para_236","para_237","para_238","para_239","para_240","para_241","para_242","para_243","para_244","para_245","para_246","para_247","para_248","para_249","para_250","para_251","para_252","para_253","para_254","para_255","para_256","para_257","para_258","para_259","para_260","para_261","para_262","para_263","para_264","para_265","para_266","para_267"],"kind":"front_matter"}],"paragraphs":[{"text":"United States Court of Appeals","paragraph_id":"para_1"},{"text":"FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT","paragraph_id":"para_2"},{"text":"Argued October 1, 2025 Decided July 14, 2026","paragraph_id":"para_3"},{"text":"No. 24-5277","paragraph_id":"para_4"},{"text":"AXEL DIEGELMANN, ET AL.,","paragraph_id":"para_5"},{"text":"APPELLANTS","paragraph_id":"para_6"},{"text":"v.","paragraph_id":"para_7"},{"text":"SCOTT BESSENT, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS SECRETARY OF","paragraph_id":"para_8"},{"text":"THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, ET AL.,","paragraph_id":"para_9"},{"text":"APPELLEES","paragraph_id":"para_10"},{"text":"Appeal from the United States District Court","paragraph_id":"para_11"},{"text":"for the District of Columbia","paragraph_id":"para_12"},{"text":"(No. 1:24-cv-01090)","paragraph_id":"para_13"},{"text":"Amir Toossi argued the cause and filed the briefs for","paragraph_id":"para_14"},{"text":"appellants.","paragraph_id":"para_15"},{"text":"Sean R. Janda, Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice,","paragraph_id":"para_16"},{"text":"argued the cause for appellees. On the brief were Yaakov M.","paragraph_id":"para_17"},{"text":"Roth, Acting Assistant Attorney General, and Sharon Swingle","paragraph_id":"para_18"},{"text":"and Benjamin M. Shultz, Attorneys.","paragraph_id":"para_19"},{"text":"Before: KATSAS and CHILDS, Circuit Judges, and","paragraph_id":"para_20"},{"text":"EDWARDS, Senior Circuit Judge.","paragraph_id":"para_21"},{"text":"Opinion for the Court filed by Circuit Judge KATSAS.","paragraph_id":"para_22"},{"text":"2","paragraph_id":"para_23"},{"text":"KATSAS, Circuit Judge: This appeal involves economic","paragraph_id":"para_24","court_paragraph":2},{"text":"sanctions imposed on foreign nationals for operating in the","paragraph_id":"para_25"},{"text":"metals and mining sector of the Russian economy. It turns on","paragraph_id":"para_26"},{"text":"whether buying finished precious metals, including gold bars,","paragraph_id":"para_27"},{"text":"constitutes procuring geological materials within the meaning","paragraph_id":"para_28"},{"text":"of the operative sanctions regime. On that interpretive","paragraph_id":"para_29"},{"text":"question, we reject one of the challengers’ arguments as","paragraph_id":"para_30"},{"text":"meritless and another as unpreserved. We also uphold an","paragraph_id":"para_31"},{"text":"administrative determination that the precious metals at issue","paragraph_id":"para_32"},{"text":"were sufficiently connected to Russia.","paragraph_id":"para_33"},{"text":"I","paragraph_id":"para_34"},{"text":"The International Emergency Economic Powers Act","paragraph_id":"para_35"},{"text":"authorizes the President to deal with an extraordinary foreign","paragraph_id":"para_36"},{"text":"threat to the national security or foreign policy of the United","paragraph_id":"para_37"},{"text":"States by declaring a national emergency with respect to the","paragraph_id":"para_38"},{"text":"threat. 50 U.S.C. § 1701(a). If the President declares such an","paragraph_id":"para_39"},{"text":"emergency, he may seek to address it by regulating the property","paragraph_id":"para_40"},{"text":"of foreign nationals. Id. § 1702(a)(1)(B).","paragraph_id":"para_41"},{"text":"In 2021, President Biden invoked IEEPA to issue","paragraph_id":"para_42"},{"text":"Executive Order 14024, which declares a national emergency","paragraph_id":"para_43"},{"text":"with respect to various activities of the Russian Federation.","paragraph_id":"para_44"},{"text":"Blocking Property with Respect to Specified Harmful Foreign","paragraph_id":"para_45"},{"text":"Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation, 86","paragraph_id":"para_46"},{"text":"Fed. Reg. 20,249, 20,249 (Apr. 19, 2021). The Executive","paragraph_id":"para_47"},{"text":"Order governs the property of any person determined by the","paragraph_id":"para_48"},{"text":"Secretary of the Treasury to operate in Russia’s technology","paragraph_id":"para_49"},{"text":"sector, its defense sector, or “any other sector of the Russian","paragraph_id":"para_50"},{"text":"Federation economy as may be determined by the Secretary.”","paragraph_id":"para_51"},{"text":"Id. at 20,249. The Order provides that such property is","paragraph_id":"para_52"},{"text":"“blocked” and thus “may not be transferred, paid, exported,","paragraph_id":"para_53"},{"text":"withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in.” Id. The Order also blocks","paragraph_id":"para_54"},{"text":"the property of any person or entity that is controlled by, or has","paragraph_id":"para_55"},{"text":"3","paragraph_id":"para_56"},{"text":"acted on behalf of, a person whose property is blocked by the","paragraph_id":"para_57","court_paragraph":3},{"text":"Order. Id. at 20,250.","paragraph_id":"para_58"},{"text":"The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)","paragraph_id":"para_59"},{"text":"implemented the Executive Order pursuant to its delegated","paragraph_id":"para_60"},{"text":"authority. See 31 C.F.R. § 587.802. In 2023, OFAC extended","paragraph_id":"para_61"},{"text":"the Executive Order to the “metals and mining sector of the","paragraph_id":"para_62"},{"text":"Russian Federation economy.” Publication of Russian","paragraph_id":"para_63"},{"text":"Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations","paragraph_id":"para_64"},{"text":"Determination, 88 Fed. Reg. 16,887, 16,887 (Mar. 21, 2023).","paragraph_id":"para_65"},{"text":"The Executive Order thus blocks the property of anyone who","paragraph_id":"para_66"},{"text":"operates in that sector.","paragraph_id":"para_67"},{"text":"OFAC published guidance to clarify the scope of its","paragraph_id":"para_68"},{"text":"sectoral determination. The guidance states that OFAC","paragraph_id":"para_69"},{"text":"“anticipates publishing regulations” defining the “metals and","paragraph_id":"para_70"},{"text":"mining sector of the Russian Federation economy” to include","paragraph_id":"para_71"},{"text":"the following:","paragraph_id":"para_72"},{"text":"any act, process, or industry of extracting, at the","paragraph_id":"para_73"},{"text":"surface or underground, ores, coal, precious stones, or","paragraph_id":"para_74"},{"text":"any other minerals or geological materials in the","paragraph_id":"para_75"},{"text":"Russian Federation, or any act of procuring,","paragraph_id":"para_76"},{"text":"processing, manufacturing, or refining such","paragraph_id":"para_77"},{"text":"geological materials, or transporting them to, from, or","paragraph_id":"para_78"},{"text":"within the Russian Federation.","paragraph_id":"para_79"},{"text":"OFAC, Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions, FAQ","paragraph_id":"para_80"},{"text":"1,115 (Feb. 24, 2023), https://perma.cc/JKD5-AGBU. By","paragraph_id":"para_81"},{"text":"regulation, OFAC had previously applied this same standard to","paragraph_id":"para_82"},{"text":"define the scope of the “metals and mining sector of the","paragraph_id":"para_83"},{"text":"Russian Federation economy” for purposes of a different","paragraph_id":"para_84"},{"text":"sanction that bars state-owned entities from operating in that","paragraph_id":"para_85"},{"text":"sector. See id.; 31 C.F.R. §§ 589.201(a)(4)(v), 589.325.","paragraph_id":"para_86"},{"text":"4","paragraph_id":"para_87"},{"text":"II","paragraph_id":"para_88","court_paragraph":4},{"text":"Axel Diegelmann and his son Fritz are German nationals","paragraph_id":"para_89"},{"text":"who trade in precious metals. In 2024, OFAC blocked property","paragraph_id":"para_90"},{"text":"of the Diegelmanns and three companies owned by Axel.","paragraph_id":"para_91"},{"text":"OFAC determined that Axel, Fritz, and one of Axel’s","paragraph_id":"para_92"},{"text":"companies operate in the metals and mining sector of the","paragraph_id":"para_93"},{"text":"Russian economy, bringing them within the scope of the","paragraph_id":"para_94"},{"text":"Executive Order and the OFAC sectoral determination. OFAC","paragraph_id":"para_95"},{"text":"further determined that the other two companies are controlled","paragraph_id":"para_96"},{"text":"by or act on behalf of Axel, also triggering the Executive Order.","paragraph_id":"para_97"},{"text":"OFAC concluded that the Diegelmanns surreptitiously helped","paragraph_id":"para_98"},{"text":"“Russia-based metals companies” to buy and sell precious","paragraph_id":"para_99"},{"text":"metals, thus “circumventing international sanctions.” J.A. 95.","paragraph_id":"para_100"},{"text":"The Diegelmanns sued to challenge the sanctions. OFAC","paragraph_id":"para_101"},{"text":"defended them based on a public record and additional","paragraph_id":"para_102"},{"text":"classified materials submitted for in camera review. The","paragraph_id":"para_103"},{"text":"district court granted summary judgment to the government","paragraph_id":"para_104"},{"text":"and denied summary judgment to the Diegelmanns.","paragraph_id":"para_105"},{"text":"Diegelmann v. Yellen, No. 24-1090, 2024 WL 4880468","paragraph_id":"para_106"},{"text":"(D.D.C. Nov. 25, 2024).","paragraph_id":"para_107"},{"text":"III","paragraph_id":"para_108"},{"text":"We review the grant of summary judgment de novo, which","paragraph_id":"para_109"},{"text":"means that we effectively review OFAC’s sanction decision","paragraph_id":"para_110"},{"text":"directly. Rempfer v. Sharfstein, 583 F.3d 860, 864–65 (D.C.","paragraph_id":"para_111"},{"text":"Cir. 2009). Under the Administrative Procedure Act, we","paragraph_id":"para_112"},{"text":"consider whether that decision was arbitrary or capricious.","paragraph_id":"para_113"},{"text":"5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A). That standard is deferential to the","paragraph_id":"para_114"},{"text":"agency—and “extremely deferential” for matters related to","paragraph_id":"para_115"},{"text":"national security. Islamic Am. Relief Agency v. Gonzales, 477","paragraph_id":"para_116"},{"text":"F.3d 728, 734 (D.C. Cir. 2007).","paragraph_id":"para_117"},{"text":"5","paragraph_id":"para_118"},{"text":"The Diegelmanns primarily raise interpretive questions","paragraph_id":"para_119","court_paragraph":5},{"text":"regarding the scope of OFAC’s sectoral determination.","paragraph_id":"para_120"},{"text":"Sometimes, an agency’s interpretation of its own regulations is","paragraph_id":"para_121"},{"text":"entitled to deference. See Kisor v. Wilkie, 588 U.S. 558, 574–","paragraph_id":"para_122"},{"text":"79 (2019). Because we conclude that OFAC acted within the","paragraph_id":"para_123"},{"text":"scope of its delegated authority and agree with OFAC’s","paragraph_id":"para_124"},{"text":"interpretation of the governing regulation, at least as to the","paragraph_id":"para_125"},{"text":"questions properly presented to us, we need not consider","paragraph_id":"para_126"},{"text":"whether Kisor deference extends to the legal questions","paragraph_id":"para_127"},{"text":"addressed below.","paragraph_id":"para_128"},{"text":"IV","paragraph_id":"para_129"},{"text":"The Diegelmanns admit that they bought precious metals,","paragraph_id":"para_130"},{"text":"including finished gold bars, from Russian clients. They","paragraph_id":"para_131"},{"text":"contend that, under OFAC’s sectoral determination, this does","paragraph_id":"para_132"},{"text":"not amount to operating within the “metals and mining sector","paragraph_id":"para_133"},{"text":"of the Russian Federation economy.” 88 Fed. Reg. at 16,887.","paragraph_id":"para_134"},{"text":"In construing that phrase, we may look to definitions of the","paragraph_id":"para_135"},{"text":"same phrase in analogous statutory or regulatory schemes. See,","paragraph_id":"para_136"},{"text":"e.g., Smith v. City of Jackson, 544 U.S. 228, 233 (2005)","paragraph_id":"para_137"},{"text":"(plurality opinion); Oscar Mayer & Co. v. Evans, 441 U.S. 750,","paragraph_id":"para_138"},{"text":"756 (1979). Here, 31 C.F.R. § 589.325 supplies a definition of","paragraph_id":"para_139"},{"text":"the term “metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation","paragraph_id":"para_140"},{"text":"economy” for purposes of another Russian sanctions regime.","paragraph_id":"para_141"},{"text":"This regulation provides an obvious reference point for","paragraph_id":"para_142"},{"text":"construing the sectoral determination under review. So, we","paragraph_id":"para_143"},{"text":"agree with both parties that section 589.325 supplies the","paragraph_id":"para_144"},{"text":"governing legal standard.","paragraph_id":"para_145"},{"text":"Section 589.325 defines operating in the “metals and","paragraph_id":"para_146"},{"text":"mining sector of the Russian Federation economy” to include:","paragraph_id":"para_147"},{"text":"6","paragraph_id":"para_148"},{"text":"any act, process, or industry of extracting, at the","paragraph_id":"para_149","court_paragraph":6},{"text":"surface or underground, ores, coal, precious stones, or","paragraph_id":"para_150"},{"text":"any other minerals or geological materials in the","paragraph_id":"para_151"},{"text":"Russian Federation, or any act of procuring,","paragraph_id":"para_152"},{"text":"processing, manufacturing, or refining such","paragraph_id":"para_153"},{"text":"geological materials, or transporting them to, from, or","paragraph_id":"para_154"},{"text":"within the Russian Federation.","paragraph_id":"para_155"},{"text":"31 C.F.R. § 589.325. OFAC contends that the Diegelmanns","paragraph_id":"para_156"},{"text":"operate in the metals and mining sector of the Russian economy","paragraph_id":"para_157"},{"text":"by “procuring” the “geological materials” of refined precious","paragraph_id":"para_158"},{"text":"metals, including gold bars. The Diegelmanns respond that","paragraph_id":"para_159"},{"text":"they did not procure anything at all and, alternatively, that the","paragraph_id":"para_160"},{"text":"refined precious metals they acquired are not geological","paragraph_id":"para_161"},{"text":"materials. The first objection is without merit, and the second","paragraph_id":"para_162"},{"text":"is unpreserved.","paragraph_id":"para_163"},{"text":"First, the Diegelmanns contend that they have not engaged","paragraph_id":"para_164"},{"text":"in any act of “procuring” within the meaning of section","paragraph_id":"para_165"},{"text":"589.325. Because the regulation does not define that term, we","paragraph_id":"para_166"},{"text":"look to its ordinary meaning. Zhang v. USCIS, 978 F.3d 1314,","paragraph_id":"para_167"},{"text":"1319 (D.C. Cir. 2020). The verb procure means “[t]o get by","paragraph_id":"para_168"},{"text":"special effort; obtain or acquire.” Procure, Am. Heritage","paragraph_id":"para_169"},{"text":"Dictionary, https://perma.cc/Q6NS-SURD. The regulation","paragraph_id":"para_170"},{"text":"thus prohibits any act of getting by special effort, obtaining, or","paragraph_id":"para_171"},{"text":"acquiring geological materials.","paragraph_id":"para_172"},{"text":"The Diegelmanns object that, in the mining industry,","paragraph_id":"para_173"},{"text":"“procuring” means obtaining materials necessary to extract","paragraph_id":"para_174"},{"text":"geological materials from the ground. For support, they cite","paragraph_id":"para_175"},{"text":"materials stating the truism that “[p]rocurement in mining”","paragraph_id":"para_176"},{"text":"means “acquiring the necessary goods and services for mining","paragraph_id":"para_177"},{"text":"operations.” Appellants’ Br. at 26 (citation omitted). That","paragraph_id":"para_178"},{"text":"merely confirms that “procuring” mining equipment means","paragraph_id":"para_179"},{"text":"obtaining the equipment by special effort. It does not suggest","paragraph_id":"para_180"},{"text":"7","paragraph_id":"para_181"},{"text":"that the verb procure cannot take any direct object besides","paragraph_id":"para_182","court_paragraph":7},{"text":"nouns referring to mining equipment. And it certainly does not","paragraph_id":"para_183"},{"text":"suggest that the phrase “procure geological materials”","paragraph_id":"para_184"},{"text":"somehow means “procure the equipment necessary to procure","paragraph_id":"para_185"},{"text":"geological materials.” We conclude that the phrase “procuring","paragraph_id":"para_186"},{"text":"geological materials” incorporates the ordinary meaning of","paragraph_id":"para_187"},{"text":"“procuring”—the phrase means acquiring geological materials","paragraph_id":"para_188"},{"text":"through special effort.","paragraph_id":"para_189"},{"text":"Alternatively, the Diegelmanns focus on the phrase","paragraph_id":"para_190"},{"text":"“geological materials.” They contend that it refers only to","paragraph_id":"para_191"},{"text":"materials in their natural state, not to metals that have been","paragraph_id":"para_192"},{"text":"refined into finished products like gold bars. In their view, it","paragraph_id":"para_193"},{"text":"is unnatural to refer to a refined gold bar as a “geological","paragraph_id":"para_194"},{"text":"material.” Moreover, they say, the regulation as a whole","paragraph_id":"para_195"},{"text":"confirms this view: The phrase “extracting, at the surface or","paragraph_id":"para_196"},{"text":"underground, ores, coal, precious stones, or any other minerals","paragraph_id":"para_197"},{"text":"or geological materials” refers to “geological materials” as raw","paragraph_id":"para_198"},{"text":"materials extracted from the earth, as does the phrase","paragraph_id":"para_199"},{"text":"“procuring, processing, manufacturing, or refining such","paragraph_id":"para_200"},{"text":"geological materials.” On this view, refined metals are the","paragraph_id":"para_201"},{"text":"result of extraction, processing, manufacture, and refinement,","paragraph_id":"para_202"},{"text":"but are not themselves the object of further such operations.","paragraph_id":"para_203"},{"text":"The Diegelmanns forfeited this argument by failing to","paragraph_id":"para_204"},{"text":"present it to the district court. “It is well settled that issues and","paragraph_id":"para_205"},{"text":"legal theories not asserted at the District Court level ordinarily","paragraph_id":"para_206"},{"text":"will not be heard on appeal.” District of Columbia v. Air Fla.,","paragraph_id":"para_207"},{"text":"Inc., 750 F.2d 1077, 1084 (D.C. Cir. 1984); see, e.g., Abreu v.","paragraph_id":"para_208"},{"text":"Howard Univ., 93 F.4th 498, 503 (D.C. Cir. 2024); Keepseagle","paragraph_id":"para_209"},{"text":"v. Perdue, 856 F.3d 1039, 1053–54 (D.C. Cir. 2017). In their","paragraph_id":"para_210"},{"text":"summary-judgment briefing, the Diegelmanns did not argue","paragraph_id":"para_211"},{"text":"that the term “geological materials” encompasses only raw","paragraph_id":"para_212"},{"text":"metals as opposed to processed ones. To the contrary, in","paragraph_id":"para_213"},{"text":"support of their own motion for summary judgment, the","paragraph_id":"para_214"},{"text":"8","paragraph_id":"para_215"},{"text":"Diegelmanns faulted OFAC for failing to allege that they had","paragraph_id":"para_216","court_paragraph":8},{"text":"“purchased any precious metals from inside of Russia.” Pls.’","paragraph_id":"para_217"},{"text":"Mot. for Summ. J. at 23, Diegelmann v. Yellen, No. 25-1090","paragraph_id":"para_218"},{"text":"(D.D.C. filed Aug. 28, 2024), ECF No. 15. Stressing the","paragraph_id":"para_219"},{"text":"asserted lack of connection to Russia, the Diegelmanns","paragraph_id":"para_220"},{"text":"practically invited the district court to assume that the","paragraph_id":"para_221"},{"text":"regulation targeted “precious metals” writ large, not just","paragraph_id":"para_222"},{"text":"unprocessed metals. Having done so, they can hardly fault the","paragraph_id":"para_223"},{"text":"district court for deciding the case as they themselves had","paragraph_id":"para_224"},{"text":"framed it. See, e.g., United States v. Wells, 519 U.S. 482, 488","paragraph_id":"para_225"},{"text":"(1997); Hudson v. AFGE, 151 F.4th 456, 463 (D.C. Cir. 2025).","paragraph_id":"para_226"},{"text":"The Diegelmanns’ responses are unpersuasive. First, they","paragraph_id":"para_227"},{"text":"urge us to consider any arguments about the legality of the","paragraph_id":"para_228"},{"text":"sanctions, including those not raised below, because we review","paragraph_id":"para_229"},{"text":"summary judgments de novo. This point confuses standards of","paragraph_id":"para_230"},{"text":"review with preservation requirements. Or to put the point","paragraph_id":"para_231"},{"text":"somewhat differently, on de novo review, we hold that the","paragraph_id":"para_232"},{"text":"district court properly declined to address an argument not","paragraph_id":"para_233"},{"text":"presented to it, consistent with settled party-presentation","paragraph_id":"para_234"},{"text":"principles. See, e.g., Margolin v. Nat’l Ass’n of Immigr.","paragraph_id":"para_235"},{"text":"Judges, 146 S. Ct. 1285, 1288 (2026) (per curiam). Next, the","paragraph_id":"para_236"},{"text":"Diegelmanns point to a sentence from their opposition to the","paragraph_id":"para_237"},{"text":"government’s motion for summary judgment. It states that the","paragraph_id":"para_238"},{"text":"regulation “center[s] on the production of geological materials,","paragraph_id":"para_239"},{"text":"not their sale.” Reply Mem. in Supp. of Pls.’ Mot. for Summ.","paragraph_id":"para_240"},{"text":"J. & Resp. to Defs.’ Cross-Mot. for Summ. J. at 6, Diegelmann","paragraph_id":"para_241"},{"text":"v. Yellen, No. 24-1090 (D.D.C. filed Sept. 19, 2024), ECF No.","paragraph_id":"para_242"},{"text":"20. This distinction between production and sale does not hint","paragraph_id":"para_243"},{"text":"at the presently asserted distinction between refined and","paragraph_id":"para_244"},{"text":"unrefined materials. And in any event, the Diegelmanns","paragraph_id":"para_245"},{"text":"offered this sentence in support of their distinct argument,","paragraph_id":"para_246"},{"text":"9","paragraph_id":"para_247"},{"text":"rejected above, that the term “procuring” can involve only the","paragraph_id":"para_248","court_paragraph":9},{"text":"procurement of mining equipment.*","paragraph_id":"para_249"},{"text":"V","paragraph_id":"para_250"},{"text":"Finally, the Diegelmanns contend that OFAC lacked","paragraph_id":"para_251"},{"text":"substantial evidence for the sanctions, largely because their","paragraph_id":"para_252"},{"text":"activities were insufficiently connected to Russia. The","paragraph_id":"para_253"},{"text":"Diegelmanns do not dispute that they bought precious metals","paragraph_id":"para_254"},{"text":"from Russian nationals, but they suggest that a purchase is “to,","paragraph_id":"para_255"},{"text":"from, or within the Russian Federation” within the meaning of","paragraph_id":"para_256"},{"text":"31 C.F.R. § 589.325 only if the metals at issue were both","paragraph_id":"para_257"},{"text":"extracted from the ground within Russia and located in Russia","paragraph_id":"para_258"},{"text":"at the time of the purchase. Even on those assumptions, the","paragraph_id":"para_259"},{"text":"classified record adequately supports the OFAC sanctions.","paragraph_id":"para_260"},{"text":"Affirmed.","paragraph_id":"para_261"},{"text":"* Given the Diegelmanns’ forfeiture, we have no occasion to","paragraph_id":"para_262"},{"text":"consider whether the term “geological materials” encompasses","paragraph_id":"para_263"},{"text":"refined precious metals such as finished gold bars. 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