Canada Agrees To Lift Sanctions Against Iran, Reviving Ties
KABUL: (MEP) Canada agreed to quickly normalize relations with Iran and lift economic sanctions imposed against Tehran now that a deal has been reached to curb that country’s contentious nuclear program, Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion announced yesterday.
Mr. Dion told Parliament Tuesday that the Islamic Republic of Iran has met United Nations-imposed conditions to curb its nuclear program under a landmark treaty worked out between major world powers and Tehran.
“Ottawa would act “in a speedy fashion” to normalize ties and remove economic sanctions against Iran,” Dion said without providing a timeline.
Dion also said in French during question period, “It’s true that the United Nations has asked countries to lift sanctions that were put in place to prevent Iran from using nuclear weapons for military purposes.”
“Canada will lift its sanctions but will maintain a level of mistrust for a regime that must not have nuclear weapons, a regime that is a danger to human rights and is not a friend to our allies, including Israel,” Dion said. “We will do this with our eyes wide open.”
Dion added, Ottawa will also reopen the Canadian embassy in Tehran, closed by the Harper government in 2012. The Tories, he said, were wrong to cut off diplomatic ties to such an important player in the Middle East.
“With the misleading approach of the former government, Canada is not in Iran,” the Canadian foreign minister said, adding, “It is good for nobody. We will change this policy.”
Israel’s ambassador to Canada, Rafael Barak, called Ottawa’s moves on Iran an “internal Canadian affair” but went on to warn that Iran “remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world.”
The announcement came less than two weeks after the enforcement of the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
