With this unilateral step Canada joins a Western campaign to increase pressure on Tehran to drop a nuclear-weapons program. The new measures go beyond the international sanctions mandated by the United Nations. One of them is a ban on Canadian investment in Iran's oil and gas industry. There are also imposed restrictions on exporting items that may be used for nuclear research and development. Also, Iranian banks will not be allowed to open business in Canada, and Canadian banks will not be allowed to open business in Iran.

"Sanctions are intended to persuade the Iranian authorities to resume the negotiations with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany with the aim of meeting Iran's international nuclear obligations", Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said.

The measure is very symbolic. Canada does not have a lot of business with Iran, and so, sanctions will not harm Teheran very much. But Canada's sanctions are going to be similar to the EU unilateral measures. Also the United States has already imposed unilateral sanctions and similar step is expected from the governments of Australia and Japan. Canada is just following path with the other Western countries.

Miroslava Hospodarova

Photo: ISIFA