Canada Adds New Sanctions Against Iran as Crackdown on Protests Continues

Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly walks between meetings on the side-lines of the G20 leaders summit in Bali, Indonesia, Nov. 16, 2022, following the incident in Poland. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has announced a fifth package of economic sanctions against Iran as the country continues its crackdown on human-rights protesters.

Joly said in a statement that two aviation companies, Shahed Aviation Industries and Qods Aviation Industries, are being added to Canada’s sanctions list for their ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a much-maligned branch of Iran’s military.

Joly’s statement describes the companies as key to the regime’s ongoing activities, including its assistance of Russian forces during Russia’s assault on Ukraine.

Canada is also prohibiting economic dealings with six individuals described as senior members and supporters of the regime, including a former chief commander of the IRGC.

The sanctions follow Canada’s formal invocation of rarely used immigration rules earlier this week to bar thousands of Iranian government and military officials from entering the country.

Iran has made sweeping arrests and begun handing out severe penalties to protesters involved in widespread demonstrations following the September death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody, after her arrest for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code for women.