Nine Individuals and Prison Added to Iran Sanctions

Summary#

These are final amendments to the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations (SOR/2023-81). They add nine individuals and Rajaei Shahr Prison to Canada’s Iran sanctions list. The measures took effect when registered on April 28, 2023 and were published in the Canada Gazette on May 10, 2023.

What it does#

• Adds Rajaei Shahr Prison to Part 1.1 of the sanctions schedule.
• Adds these individuals to the sanctions list:
  • Abualfazl Nazeri (born 1969)
  • Mohsen Asadi (born 1971)
  • Mohammad Sadegh Heidari Mousa (born 1977)
  • Mohammad Reza Mohammadi (born 1971)
  • Enayatollah Rafiei (born 1970)
  • Fatemeh Ghorban-Hosseini (born 1995)
  • Parastou Safari (born 1986)
  • Ali Khoshnamvand (born 1995)
  • Parviz Absalan
• The amendments impose a broad ban on dealings with the newly listed names. Specifically, people in Canada and Canadians abroad are generally prohibited from:
  • dealing with the listed persons’ property,
  • entering into transactions with them,
  • providing them services, or
  • making goods available to them.
• The changes are enforced through Canada’s sanctions regime. The list of names will be added to the Consolidated Canadian Autonomous Sanctions List so financial institutions can screen for them.

Who's affected#

• Individuals and businesses in Canada that might have financial or commercial links with the newly listed people or with Rajaei Shahr Prison.
• Canadian banks and financial institutions, which will need to update screening and monitoring systems. This is expected to cause only minor compliance costs.
• Law-enforcement and border agencies that enforce sanctions, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency.
• Global Affairs Canada is the department responsible for these sanctions and public contact on the measure.

Why it matters#

• These listings freeze and restrict dealings with people and an entity Canada says are connected to serious human-rights abuses and threats to regional security.
• The additions target figures described in the government’s analysis as linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the so-called Morality Police, and leaders of a company that makes weaponized unmanned aerial vehicles used by Iran or exported to third parties (the notice cites exports to countries such as Russia).
• For most Canadians the direct economic impact will be small. For affected individuals, entities, or anyone who has dealings with them, the changes can block transactions, freeze assets and bar provision of services.
• Violating the rules can lead to enforcement action: on summary conviction a fine of up to $25,000 or up to one year in jail (or both); on indictment, imprisonment for up to five years.