Canada imposes new Iran sanctions over drones for Russia, human rights

Canada has imposed fresh sanctions on Iran, targeting individuals involved in alleged human rights abuses and companies it accused of supplying Russia with drones for use in Ukraine, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

It is the fifth package of sanctions Canada has implemented against Iran this year. It targets six individuals and two entities, Shahed Aviation Industries and Qods Aviation Industries, the foreign ministry said.

The ministry said Shahed Aviation produces drones used by Russian forces to attack Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure, while Qods Aviation makes drones for Iran's military and armed movements like Hezbollah and develops drones that are exported to Russia for use in Ukraine.

"Canada will not hesitate to use all diplomatic tools at its disposal to respond to the Iranian regime's aggressions, whether in Iran or abroad," Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement.

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on people and companies, including Shahed Aviation, that it accused of being involved in the production or transfer of Iranian drones that have been used by Russia in Ukraine.

Tehran acknowledged for the first time this month that it had supplied Moscow with drones but said they were sent before the war in Ukraine.

Wednesday's sanctions also target officials that Canada accused of participating in the suppression of protesters in Iran, the foreign ministry said.

Canada has imposed a series of sanctions against Iran over alleged human rights abuses, including the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman while in the custody of Iran's morality police.

Iran, which said Amini died due to pre-existing medical conditions, has accused Western states of trying to exploit the protests over her case to destabilise clerical rule in place since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.