Canada imposes fresh sanctions on Iran citing death of Mahsa Amini

A woman holds up a drawing of Iranian Mahsa Amini as she shouts slogans during a protest against her death, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022. (AP)
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Updated 03 October 2022
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Canada imposes fresh sanctions on Iran citing death of Mahsa Amini

  • These new measures built on Canada’s existing sanctions against Iran and listed 25 individuals and 9 entities
  • Iran’s state-run Press TV and its ‘Morality Police,’ which enforce the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code, were also sanctioned by Canada

WASHINGTON: Canada imposed fresh sanctions on Iran on Monday for alleged human rights violations, including the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old from Iranian Kurd who died while in custody of Iran’s “morality police,” the Canadian government said.
“These sanctions are in response to gross human rights violations that have been committed in Iran, including its systematic persecution of women and in particular, the egregious actions committed by Iran’s so-called ‘Morality Police,’ which led to the death of Mahsa Amini while under their custody,” the Canadian government said in a statement.
These new measures built on Canada’s existing sanctions against Iran and listed 25 individuals and 9 entities, including officials in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its ministry of intelligence and security, the Canadian government said.
Iran’s state-run Press TV and its ‘Morality Police,’ which enforce the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code, were also sanctioned by Canada.
Amini was arrested on Sept. 13 in Tehran for “unsuitable attire” by the morality police. She died three days later in hospital after falling into a coma.
Amini’s family says she was beaten to death in custody. Iran’s police authorities deny those allegations and say Amini died of a heart attack.
Her death sparked huge protests in Iran and by Iranians in other parts of the world. The unrest has spiraled into the biggest show of opposition to Iran’s authorities in years.
Prior to Monday’s measures, Canada had imposed sanctions on a total of 41 Iranian individuals and 161 Iranian entities, the Canadian government said.
In 2012, Canada designated Iran as a “supporter of terrorism.” 


Iran says any US attack including limited strikes would be ‘act of aggression’

Updated 40 min 51 sec ago
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Iran says any US attack including limited strikes would be ‘act of aggression’

  • Foreign ministry spokesman said any state would react to an act of aggression as part of its inherent right of self-defense
  • Trump said Friday he was considering a limited strike if Tehran did not reach a deal with the US

TEHRAN: Iran said Monday that any US attack, including limited strikes, would be an “act of aggression” that would precipitate a response, after President Donald Trump said he was considering a limited strike on Iran.
“And with respect to your first question concerning the limited strike, I think there is no limited strike,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said at a briefing in Tehran attended by an AFP journalist.
“An act of aggression would be regarded as an act of aggression. Period. And any state would react to an act of aggression as part of its inherent right of self-defense ferociously so that’s what we would do.”

Trump said Friday he was considering a limited strike if Tehran did not reach a deal with the United States.
“I guess I can say I am considering that,” he replied following a question from reporters.
The two countries concluded a second round of indirect talks in Switzerland on Tuesday under Omani mediation, against the backdrop of a major US military build-up in the region.
Further talks, confirmed by Iran and Oman but not by the United States, are scheduled for Thursday.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is leading the negotiations for Iran, while the United States is represented by envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Trump is wondering why Iran has not “capitulated” in the face of Washington’s military deployment, Witkoff said in an interview with Fox News broadcast on Sunday.
Baqaei responded Monday by saying that Iranians had never capitulated at any point in their history.