Canada Sanctions Several Officials of the Islamic Republic

Canada has sanctioned several officials of the Islamic Republic who have participated in "activities threatening international peace and security or gross and systematic violations of human rights in Iran." The new sanctions also target individuals in senior positions at state-owned companies producing "deadly combat drones" used by the Islamic Republic's military to "destabilize the region" or in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Melanie Joly, Canada's Foreign Minister, stated: "Today's sanctions send a clear message to the Iranian regime that Canada will not tolerate gross and systematic human rights violations and serious breaches of international peace and security." The sanctioned individuals include Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council; Abdolkarim Banitarafi, advisor to the Minister of Defense in the aerospace industry and former head of the Armed Forces Aerospace Industries Organization; Fatemeh Haqshenas and Masoumeh Teymouri from the Ayman Sanat Zamanfarah company; and Reza Khaki, Majidreza Niyazi, and Vali Arlani Zadeh from the Quds Aerospace Industries company. They will be subject to transaction bans, any assets they may have in Canada will be frozen, and they will be prohibited from entering the country. The Canadian government stated that the sanctions aim to pressure the Iranian regime to address the discontent and demands of its citizens and to hold it accountable for its destabilizing actions outside Iran. The statement emphasized that Canada will continue to stand with the people of Iran who bravely defend their rights. The Ayman Sanat Zamanfarah company was sanctioned by the United States last year for what was described as "producing and supplying riot control equipment to the Islamic Republic's police." Recently, the UK also sanctioned an Iranian drone manufacturer and several foreign companies for supplying weapons and parts needed by Russia for use against Ukraine. The Iranian company "Paravar Pars" and seven of its managers, who were previously sanctioned by the US in February of this year, are among the individuals and companies sanctioned by the UK. Since February, the UK, the US, and the European Union have imposed a series of sanctions to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow has termed a "special military operation." The White House deemed the Islamic Republic's decision to sell drones to Bolivia as "concerning." A bipartisan proposal has been introduced in the US Senate to intensify sanctions against the Islamic Republic.