Canada imposes new sanctions against Iranian regime

From: Global Affairs Canada

News release

March 27, 2023 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is imposing additional sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations. This is the 10th package of sanctions imposed by Canada against the Iranian regime since October 2022.

Today’s sanctions list eight individuals and two entities, including senior officials in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Law Enforcement Forces (LEF)—for gross and systematic human rights violations in Tehran and in Kurdish and Azeri areas of northwestern Iran—and senior officials involved in unmanned aerial vehicle and ballistic missile production in Iran.

The sanctioned entities support the Iranian regime by helping them disrupt and manipulate the online communications of those protesting the regime or by supplying the LEF with tactical equipment used in the brutal suppression of demonstrations.

This list includes, but is not limited to:

  • Hassan Hassanzadeh, commander of IRGC forces in Tehran
  • Gholamhossein Mohammadi Asl, commander of IRGC forces in Ardabil Province
  • Abbas Nilforushan, Deputy Commander of IRGC Operations Command
  • Abbas-Ali Mohammadian, Chief of Police in Tehran
  • Ghassem Damavandian, senior executive, Qods Aviation Industries
  • Nader Khoon Siavash, Director of Aerospace Industries Organization
  • Imen Sanat Zaman Fara, a company that manufactures equipment for security forces
  • Ravin Academy, a training institute that specializes in cyber-security

Today’s measures prohibit dealings with these listed individuals and entities, effectively freezing any assets they may hold in Canada. Individuals listed in response to gross and systematic violations of human rights are also inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Canada will continue to use all diplomatic tools at its disposal to respond to the Iranian regime’s ongoing human rights violations, deployment of propaganda and actions that threaten international peace and stability. This includes working closely with partners and allies to ensure a coordinated and aligned approach to the Iranian regime’s destabilizing actions.

Quotes

“The simple truth is this: Iranians are demanding a better future. They are fighting to protect their fundamental rights and freedoms so that their children—and the generations to come—can live in peace and prosperity. We call on the Iranian regime to stop the brutal oppression of Iran’s people and to address their demands in good faith. It’s time to end the cycle of violence and to forge a new path built on peace, security and stability for the Iranian people.”

- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Quick facts

  • On October 7, 2022, Canada announced its intention to implement several new measures to respond to Iran’s ongoing human rights violations and the threats Iran poses to international peace and security, including:

    • listing the Iranian regime, including the IRGC and its top leaders—more than 10,000 senior officials—as inadmissible to Canada because of their engagement in terrorism and systematic and gross human rights violations, by enacting a designation under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
    • adopting new sanctions against members of the IRGC and the Iranian regime, as well as those associated with them, in addition to introducing a new, tailored regulation to ensure that no sanctioned individual connected to the IRGC can enter Canada, pending the passage of Bill S-8
    • investing $76 million to strengthen Canada’s capacity to implement sanctions and ensure the government can move more quickly to freeze and seize the assets of sanctioned individuals, including through a dedicated bureau at Global Affairs Canada and giving additional support to the RCMP to investigate and identify assets and to gather evidence
    • pursuing all the tools at the Government of Canada’s disposal, including the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, which enables restrictive financial and property measures to be taken against foreign nationals responsible for gross violations of human rights

  • As of today, Canada has sanctioned 147 Iranian individuals and 191 Iranian entities, including the IRGC and key members of the regime’s security intelligence and economic apparatus.

  • In 2012, Canada designated Iran as a state supporter of terrorism under the State Immunity Act. In concert with the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, this listing allows victims to bring civil action against Iran for losses or damages from an act of terrorism with links to Iran committed anywhere in the world.

Associated links

Contacts

Adrien Blanchard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Adrien.Blanchard@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
media@international.gc.ca
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