Canada imposes additional sanctions on the Iranian regime

December 2, 2022 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is imposing additional sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations.

Despite the Iranian regime intensifying efforts to brutally repress demonstrations across the country, the people of Iran continue to stand up for the rights of Iranian women and girls, and a better future for all Iranians.

Canada will not stand idly by while the regime’s human rights violations increase in scope and intensity against the Iranian people. That is why we are imposing sanctions on an additional 4 Iranian individuals and 5 entities for their roles in the regime’s gross and systematic human rights violations and actions that continue to threaten international peace and security.

This list includes:

• Morteza Talaei, Second Brigadier General of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and former Commander of Tehran’s Law Enforcement Forces;
• Ali Ghanaatkar Mavardiani, a senior judge, prosecutor and interrogator of the regime who worked in Evin Prison Court before being appointed the head of the District 24 (Counter-Narcotics) Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran;
• Hassan Karami, Commander of the Islamic Republic’s Law Enforcement Forces Special Units;
• Safiran Airport Services, an Iranian cargo and commercial airline that has coordinated Russian military flights between Iran and Russia, through which the Iranian regime transferred lethal Iranian-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to Russia;
• Baharestan Kish Company, a subsidiary firm of the IRGC Cooperative Foundation that has entered into agreements with the Basij Resistance Forces and the IRGC,  to render research services in the technology sector, including the development of Shahed-series UAV components; and
• Javan News Agency, a media outlet under the Basij Cooperative Foundation that disseminates anti-Semitic messaging and the Iranian regime’s propaganda.

These measures are the latest example of Canada’s response to the Iranian regime’s egregious behaviour, both domestically and abroad. Canada will continue to work with international partners to address the regime’s destabilizing actions and amplify the brave Iranian voices that refuse to be silenced.