The Government of Canada announced an expansion of sanctions against Iran on Sunday, aiming to address Iran’s involvement in “terrorism and systematic and gross human rights violations.” The latest measures extend existing sanctions to effectively bar anyone who has served as a senior government official in Iran since 2019 from entering Canada.
This escalation supplements earlier sanctions implemented in November 2022 under section 35(1)(b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). Notably, the terrorist designation of the Iranian regime has been retroactively applied to June 23, 2003.
Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, Dominic LeBlanc, stated that the Canadian government intends to send a strong message: those involved in terrorism, human rights violations, and atrocities are not welcome in Canada.
In June 2024, Canada listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity under section 83.01 of the Criminal Code. This listing requires Canadian financial institutions to freeze the assets of IRGC members. The government states that the IRGC has engaged in terrorism and supported other terrorist groups such as Hizballah and Hamas.
Since 2010, Canadian sanctions against Iran have progressively expanded. These sanctions, targeting Iranian individuals and entities, have been imposed under the Special Economic Measures Act (SEMA) and the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (JVCFOA).
The Canada Border Services Agency will enforce these measures by examining visa applications and investigating individuals suspected of inadmissibility under the new designations. This includes the potential removal from Canada for those already present in the country.
For further details, please refer to the original report.