The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is imposing new sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations. This is the 13th package of sanctions imposed by Canada against the Iranian regime since October 2022. It builds on Canada's efforts to align with designations announced by the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
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. These include a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy and Strategic Centre and other senior Iranian officials involved in entities that supply materials to Iran's repressive national Law Enforcement Command. The sanctions also target individuals who occupy senior positions in state-directed firms that produce lethal combat drones used by Iran's armed forces to destabilize the region or that are exported to Russia for use in its illegal war against Ukraine.
The list of those sanctioned includes:
- Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council
- Abdolkarim Bani Tarafi, Brigadier General in Iran's Army and Chairman of the Iran Aviation Industry Organization
- Fatemeh Haghshenas, Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Imen Sanat Zaman Fara
- Masoumeh Teymouri, Chief of the Board of Directors of Imen Sanat Zaman Fara
- Reza Khaki, as a primary member of the Board of Directors of Qods Aviation Industries
- Majid Reza Niyazi-Angili, as a primary member of the Board of Directors of Qods Aviation Industries
- Vali Arlanizadeh, member of the Board of Directors of Qods Aviation Industries
These measures will impose a dealings prohibition on the listed individuals, which will effectively freeze any assets they may hold in Canada and render them inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Today's sanctions build on Canada's efforts to press the Iranian regime to address the legitimate grievances and interests of its citizens and impose costs for its destabilizing behaviour abroad. Canada is committed to protecting global peace and security and will continue to stand with the Iranian people as they courageously defend their human rights.
