Tehran – Tehran has vehemently condemned Canada’s latest sanctions against Iran, calling them a deceived, illegal and a blatant violation of international law.
In a statement on Sunday, Issa Cameli, Foreign Minister and Director of the American Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accused the sanctions of being illegal and violating the rights of Iranians. He argued that such actions would result in the Canadian government being internationally liable for breaching basic human rights.
“The new sanctions Canada has imposed on Iran under the pretext of human rights is a politically motivated, deceptive move that contradicts the UN Charter and the principles of the international trade law,” Camelli said.
The Canadian government announced new sanctions on Friday, targeting seven Iranian individuals and groups. Ottawa claimed that these individuals and organizations were linked to a network involved in the production of weapons that were allegedly supplied to Russia for use in the ongoing war in Ukraine. Canada has also justified the measure by citing Iran’s role in “total human rights violations” and its unstable activities in the region.
These sanctions are consistent with similar measures imposed by Western Canada allies, including the United States, the UK and the European Union.
In response to the accusations, Kameli vehemently rejected allegations of Iran’s involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, emphasizing that repeating falsehoods would not make them true. He repeatedly held Tehran’s neutral stance, reaffirming that Iran would not play a role in the Russian-Ukraine war and advocating diplomatic negotiations as the only viable path to resolving the conflict.
Camell has also criticised Canadian human rights records and accused them of conspiring in Israeli massacre and war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza. He urged Canadian officials to take responsibility for their involvement in such atrocities rather than leveling out unfounded accusations against Iran.
Additionally, Camelli highlights historical and continuous abuse of Canadian Indigenous peoples and focuses on systematic human rights abuses. He suggested that Canadian authorities should focus on addressing their own national and international failures before attempting to police other countries.
Iran has long been subject to Western sanctions, escalating under former President Donald Trump and strengthened by European allies. Tehran has repeatedly denounced these economic measures as part of a so-called “maximum pressure” campaign aimed at destabilizing the country. Iranian officials argue that such sanctions constitute a hybrid war and fail to achieve the intended political objectives, while disproportionately affecting Iranian people.