Canada sanctions 7 Iranian individuals, entities

Canada has imposed new sanctions on Iran, targeting several individuals and entities over their alleged links to networks involved in production of weapons which Ottawa claims have been sent to Russia for use in the Ukraine war.

Canada’s Foreign Ministry announced the sanctions on Friday, saying that they “target 3 individuals and 4 entities that are Iranian business people and companies connected to procurement networks that acquire and supply sophisticated technology” that supports the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps’ (IRGC) weapons production and sales, said a statement published on the website of Canada’s government.

The statement claimed that the IRGC’s weapons sales included those to Russia for use in its “war against Ukraine.”

The new sanctions target Hossein Hatefi Ardakani, head of a transnational procurement network that includes Kavan Electronics Behrad Limited Liability Company, Basamad Electronic Pouya Engineering Limited Liability Company and Teyf Tadbir Arya Engineering Company.

Mehdi Gogerdchian, managing director and board member of Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (HESA), and Hossein Pourfarzaneh, lead engineer of Farzanegan Propulsion Design Bureau were blacklisted as well.

The targeted entities include Kavan Electronics Behrad Limited Liability Company, Basamad Electronic Pouya Engineering Limited Liability Company, and Teyf Tadbir Engineering Company, all procurement firms, as well as technology company Farzanegan Propulsion Systems Design Bureau. 

The sanctions by Canada are the latest in a series of Western states’ measures against Iran ever since the Ukraine war broke out in February 2022. Iran has on various occasions dismissed their allegations that it gives arms to Russia. Iran says, as a sovereign country, it has the right to have defense and military ties with any country it wants, and that such relations with Moscow have been ongoing before the start of the Ukraine war.