Canada to Cautiously Lift Some Sanctions against Iran

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

Canada: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

The Canadian government announced an important decision on Friday to start lifting some its economic sanctions against Iran as it aims to reengage with the foreign nation. Canada’s minister of foreign affairs, Stephane Dion, mentioned that Canada will be letting go of several sanctions it placed against Iran. He stressed that “we’ll engage with Iran step-by-step, (with) open eyes, because we still have a lot of concerns about the role of Iran in the region.”

In his remarks, Dion admitted that Canada is also considering the possibility of restoring diplomatic contacts with Iran.  Canada severed ties with Iran in 2012 but the foreign affairs minister claimed that Canada was wrong to cut ties with Iran back then. He explained that “we should have been part of it, to engage Iran, with sanctions, but with diplomacy at the same time.” Dion pointed out that Canada looks forward to work on engaging with other countries from now onward, rather than withdrawing from the conversation when it disagrees with their foreign policies. While making the announcement, Dion cautiously pointed out that Canada still has many concerns about Iran, particularly in terms of its human rights abuses and its relations with Israel.

The announcement by Canada has come after its ally, the United States, lifted many of its own economic sanctions against Iran as part of a landmark nuclear deal signed last month. In his remarks, Dion also confirmed that Canada is lifting sanctions in accordance with that deal, which was facilitated through the United Nations.