Canada sanctions Iran’s new national security chief, six others

Canada’s Federal Government on Tuesday imposed sanctions on 7 Iranian nationals, including Iran’s new security chief, under its Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations.

The sanctions name Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, as well as executives in Iran’s drone industry and aviation sector, detailed in a statement by Global Affairs Canada.

The sanctions will impose a dealings prohibition on the individuals, effectively freezing any assets they hold in Canada and render them inadmissible in the country.

The sanctions builds on Canada’s efforts to align with the stance held by United States, United Kingdom and European Union, and hold the Iranian regime responsible for the “legitimate grievances and interests of its citizens” and “impose costs for its destabilizing behaviour abroad,” the statement added.

“We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to respond to Iran’s egregious actions,” Canada’s minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, quoted in the statement.

Ottawa severed its ties with the Middle Eastern nation in 2012, designation Iran as a state supporter of terrorism under the State Immunity Act. As of today, Canada has sanctioned 170 Iranian individuals and 192 Iranian entities.

Rahat Sandhu