OTTAWA — The Canadian government is expected to impose new unilateral sanctions against Iran today, joining an international campaign to force Tehran to drop a nuclear-weapons program.
Globe and Mail reports that the new measures will include a ban on any new Canadian investment in Iran’s oil and gas sector, and restrictions on exporting goods that could be used in nuclear programs.
The West accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, but Tehran says its nuclear program is only for peaceful electricity production.
Iranian banks will also will be barred from opening branches in Canada and Canadian banks will not be able to set up operations in Iran.
The European Union is expected to hit Iran with a new round of sanctions to curb oil investment and cut-off “dual-use” goods that could be employed by the nuclear industry.
The UN imposed tougher sanctions last month after failing to get the country to accept a UN-drafted plan to swap its low-enriched uranium for higher-enriched uranium in the form of fuel rods Iran needs for a medical research reactor.