Canada announced new sanctions against Iran on Tuesday, adding 98 more people and organizations with ties to the Iranian regime to its blacklist.
Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird claimed the sanctions are aimed at putting pressure on Iran to drop its nuclear program.
While the West and Israel are suspicious of Iran’s nuclear program, Iran has repeatedly stressed that its program is purely peaceful.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, has so far found no evidence that Iran’s nuclear program might have a military component; however, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano insists that the agency cannot say for certain that Iran’s nuclear program has no military aims.
With Tuesday’s 98 additions to the Canadian blacklist, there are now 50 people and 433 entities subject to having their Canadian assets frozen and restrictions on their economic dealings with Canada.
Earlier this year, Canada cut off diplomatic relations with Iran, closing down its embassy in Iran and expelling Iranian embassy staff from Ottawa.
