Canada is implementing new sanctions on Iran, specifically targeting the country’s drone and aviation industry. These sanctions come with accusations of destabilizing the region and supporting Russia’s war on Ukraine.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Global Affairs Canada announced that seven individuals have been added to the federal government’s list of sanctions against the Iranian regime. This marks the 13th round of measures announced since October 2022.
The statement from Global Affairs Canada reads, “Today’s sanctions list 7 individuals involved in activities that gravely threaten international peace and security or that constitute gross and systemic violations of human rights in Iran.”
Among those included in the sanctions is Ali Akbar Ahmadian, who assumed the role of secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council in May. Ahmadian is a former commander of the navy division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Ottawa is also imposing sanctions on two officials of Imen Sanat Zaman Fara, an Iranian company known for manufacturing equipment for the country’s Law Enforcement Command.
The list of individuals facing Canadian sanctions also includes four executives from state-run aviation firms. These firms produce lethal combat drones that are either supplied to Russia for use in its invasion of Ukraine or to Iran’s military.
The Canadian sanctions reinforce the country’s commitment to pressuring the Iranian regime to address the legitimate grievances and interests of its citizens, as well as to impose consequences for its destabilizing behavior abroad, according to Global Affairs Canada.
These individuals included in the sanctions are prohibited from entering Canada, and any assets they hold in Canada will be frozen.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly stated that these latest sanctions send a clear message to the Iranian regime that Canada will not tolerate its gross and systematic violations of human rights, as well as its ongoing grave breach of international peace and security. She added, “We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to respond to Iran’s egregious actions.”
According to the federal government, Canada has sanctioned a total of 170 Iranian individuals and 192 Iranian entities thus far.
Critics have raised concerns about the effectiveness of Canada’s sanctions, as experts have testified in Parliament that the country does a poor job of tracking its efforts.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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