TEHRAN – Canada has announced a new round of sanctions against Iran, targeting individuals and entities it says support Tehran’s military activities.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly revealed that the sanctions affect three individuals and four entities, which Canada claims are linked to procurement networks supplying advanced military technology to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC). Ottawa asserts that these networks facilitate arms transfers to Russia for use in the Ukraine war, a claim Iran has repeatedly denied and one that the West has yet to substantiate with evidence.

The Canadian government emphasized that the new measures are in alignment with similar actions taken by its Western allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. The move reflects growing Western efforts to limit Iran’s military and economic influence.

Just prior to Canada’s announcement, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on six entities based in Hong Kong and China, citing their connections to Iran’s military procurement activities.   

Beyond military ties to Russia, Joly also talked about Iran’s activities in West Asia, accusing it of “supporting terrorist groups and threatening regional and international security.” Canada sees Resistance groups fighting Israeli occupation as terrorists. 

The latest sanctions specifically target networks that Canada claims assist the IRGC in acquiring advanced weaponry. 

The newly announced restrictions add to Canada’s growing list of sanctions against Iran. With these latest measures, Canada has now sanctioned 208 individuals and 254 Iranian entities. The sanctions block any assets held in Canada and prohibit transactions involving the listed individuals and organizations.