Key facts
- Canada sanctioned 10 Iranian individuals and entities on Wednesday.
- Sanctions target senior Iranian security and government officials.
- Entities involved in digital repression, including Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, were sanctioned.
- The sanctions aim to pressure the Iranian regime for continued human rights violations.
- Iran has a record of human rights violations and actions threatening global peace and security.
- Canada has now sanctioned a total of 478 Iranian individuals and entities.
Canada announced on Wednesday that it is imposing sanctions on ten Iranian individuals and entities, including senior security and government officials, as well as state-directed organizations involved in digital repression. Foreign Minister Anita Anand stated that the sanctions are intended to respond to the Iranian regime's "abhorrent conduct," citing threats to international peace and security and pervasive human rights violations.
Among those sanctioned are Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, Head of Greater Tehran’s Cyber Police Davoud Moazami Goudarzi, and Rasoul Jalili, a member of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace. Entities targeted include the Iranian Audiovisual Media Regulatory Authority (SATRA), the Working Group for Determining Instances of Criminal Content (WGDICC), Douran Group, Yaftar Pazhohan Pishtaz Rayanesh Limited Company, and Seraj Cyberspace Organization.
Canada has a history of sanctioning Iran, particularly in response to human rights violations and repression. Since 2009, Iran has increasingly restricted internet connectivity and mobile services to control information flow and suppress protests. The sanctions announced are part of ongoing efforts to maintain pressure on the regime for its continued human rights violations, including restrictions on freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association.
With these latest measures, Canada has now sanctioned a total of 478 Iranian individuals and entities across Iran’s security, intelligence, and economic apparatus. These sanctions include a dealings prohibition, which freezes any assets held by sanctioned individuals in Canada and prohibits Canadians from making property available to them.