The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is imposing additional sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations. These sanctions build upon the ones announced on October 3, 2022, and respond to the Iranian regime's systematic human rights violations and ongoing actions that destabilize regional security. The regime's continued grave and ongoing breaches of international law are well known and documented, including its blatant disregard for human life. Canada will always stand with Iranians and the victims of this regime, including with the families and loved ones of the victims of the downing of Flight PS752.
Today's sanctions list 17 individuals and 3 entities that have participated in or enabled gross human rights violations, including against Iranian women, and perpetuated disinformation activities to justify the Iranian regime's repression and persecution of its citizens.
This list includes, but is not limited to:
- Saeed Mortazavi, the Iranian Revolutionary Court prosecutor who ordered the torture of Canadian-Iranian journalist Zahra Kazemi; Kazemi died as a result of her mistreatment while in custody in 2003.
- Amir Hatami, Brigadier General in the Iranian regular army, senior advisor to the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces and a former minister of defence.
- Hossein Shariatmadari, Editor-in-Chief of Kayhan, a conservative state-controlled newspaper that regularly publishes anti-Semitic propaganda, including Holocaust denial, and threats against Israel, the United States and Gulf states.
- Manouchehr Amanollahi, Commander of Iran's Law Enforcement Forces in the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province in southwestern Iran.
- Gholamreza Ziaei, director of Rajaei Shahr (from October 2017 to June 2019) and Evin (from July 2019 to June 2020) prisons.
- Peyman Jebelli, Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.
- Ali Larijani, member of Iran's Expediency Council, former IRGC official and former speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, also known as the Iranian Majlis or Iranian Parliament.
- Mohammad Javad Zarif, foreign minister of Iran from 2013 to 2021.
These measures prohibit dealings related to the 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 rendered inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Canada is committed to standing up for human rights and taking action against those who violate them. This includes ensuring that senior members of the Iranian regime and its agencies do not benefit from or receive any economic or social support from Canada or its citizens.
