Trudeau: Canada to move cautiously on lifting Iran sanctions

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said yesterday that Canada will not rush to lift its sanctions against Iran, despite calls to “scrap the measures quickly so Canadian companies can compete for contracts”.

Last week, Canada confirmed for the first time that it is planning to lift the sanctions it imposed on Tehran, saying that companies should be allowed to export there.

The US, EU, and other major countries have also lifted some of their sanctions against Iran after an agreement was reached last month between Iran and global superpowers after Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear programme.

Trudeau told reporters in Calgary, where he met with oil industry leaders, that the deal had helped “dampen” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but added that there were still significant concerns around what he called the “country’s state sponsorship of terrorism and abuse of human rights”.

He added: “We’re going to be very careful and thoughtful, working and coordinating with our allies in the way that we move to reengage and lift sanctions on Iran.”