Canada announces renewed sanctions against Iran for nuclear proliferation activities

October 18, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

Iran’s nuclear proliferation activities continue to pose a major threat to regional and international security. In 2015, UN Security Council Resolution 2231 (UNSCR 2231) was adopted to fully implement the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which consists of a series of measures designed to ensure that Iran’s nuclear program remains peaceful. Today, these restrictions are set to expire, while Iran continues to scale up its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is maintaining these restrictions by incorporating all sanctioned individuals, entities and prohibitions that are set to expire under UNSCR 2231 in the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations, Canada’s autonomous sanctions regime. As concerns related to Iran’s nuclear program persist, Canada is implementing these actions in coordination with the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States to ensure that collectively, we can continue to impose pressure on the Iranian regime for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, as well as its proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles.

This package targets 18 individuals and 56 entities engaged in activities that facilitate, support, provide funding for, contribute to or could contribute to Iran’s proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities. This package also targets former or current senior officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated entities.

These measures will continue to impose a dealings prohibition on the listed persons, which will effectively freeze any assets they may hold in Canada and render listed individuals inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Today’s announcement demonstrates Canada’s continued efforts to impose costs on the Iranian regime for its nuclear and ballistic missile proliferation activities. As Iran continues to violate its international commitments and accelerate its nuclear program, Canada will work in lockstep with its allies to hold the regime accountable for its destabilizing nuclear efforts.