Canada sanctions five Iranian officials over blockade of Strait of Hormuz

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced new sanctions on five Iranian officials today for their role in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The individuals sanctioned include a senior member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the head of Iran's foreign policy and national security committee, a naval commander, and the chair of the Iranian energy exporters union.

The sanctions note highlighted that around 1,500 vessels had been stranded in the Persian Gulf as of August 6. The Strait of Hormuz was first closed by Iran following joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28, leading to significant disruption in global energy markets. The sanctions imposed by Canada prohibit Canadians from conducting business with the listed individuals and freeze any Canadian assets they may possess.

This is part of Canada's broader sanctions regime, which has targeted 232 individuals and 260 entities associated with Iran's intelligence, security, and economic networks.