Canada bans thousands of Iranian regime’s senior officers

Canada has announced additional measures against Iran amid outcry across the globe for women’s rights in that country.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada has declared more than 10,000 members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard leadership are inadmissible to this country for life, “denying them access to Canadian territory and opportunities.”

He says this has been used against regimes that committed war crimes or genocide, such as in Bosnia and Rwanda, and will “raise the bar internationally in holding Iran accountable.”

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Trudeau notes his government is also expanding sanctions against Iran, adding $76 million will help strengthen Canada’s capacity to implement such measures.

“We are expanding Canada’s capacity to fight money laundering and illicit financial activity, as well as to crack down on foreign interference to protect Iranian Canadians and other communities in Canada. We will accelerate the work to ensure that our agencies have the resources necessary to do the job,” he explained, adding the money will ensure his country “can move more quickly to freeze and seize sanctioned individuals’ assets, building on new authorities we introduced in just the last budget.”

Trudeau says the funds will additionally support a new sanctions bureau within Global Affairs Canada, as well as “new capacity at the RCMP.”

The latest steps come as protests continue worldwide following the death of Mahsa Amini, who was taken into custody after refusing to wear a hijab.

Her death prompted global protests, including here in Canada, where thousands of people have marched in cities across the country in support of women in Iran.

“To the strong, resilient, and proud Iranian-Canadian community, we hear your voices. We heard your calls for action. That is why today we’re using the most powerful tools at our disposal to crack down on this brutal regime and the thousands upon thousands of individuals responsible for its heinous behaviour,” the prime minister said, adding more measures will be considered.

Despite the additional measures, Canada still does not have Iran’s Revolutionary Guard listed as a terrorist entity.

“We have spent a long time looking at exactly what is the best tool we have to hold the Iranian regime to account. Holding states to account, holding state entities like state militaries to account is different than simply listing a terrorist organization. That’s why the choice we’ve made and that we’re announcing that we’re moving forward on is to invoke measures, that haven’t been used since Bosnian war crimes or since the genocide in Rwanda, is to ensure that there is no doubt that the Iranian regime receives the strongest pushback from Canada that we possibly can, that we move forward on limits and penalties for well over 10,000 members of the Iranian leadership and military forces, and that we ensure that Canadians, including Canadians of Iranian descent, are not vulnerable to foreign interference by the Iranian regime.”