Canada to lift Tehran sanctions, allow Bombardier to export to Iran

Disclosure that the French asked for such a review – even if it is ultimately unsuccessful – could complicate a visit by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who arrived in Paris from Rome on Wednesday to improve political and economic ties now that the sanctions have been removed.

It means that the United States should push back much harder against Iranian behavior that fuels sectarian war in the Mideast (the Saudis are guilty of this, too, but that doesn’t excuse egregious behavior by Tehran). Dion only said that sanctions would be lifted “in a speedily fashion”. Iran’s leaders answered the new sanctions with defiant claims that it will continue to advance its missile development program, underscoring our need to remain vigilant in the years ahead.

Recently Iran released four Iranian-American prisoners, namely Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian; Saeed Abedini, a Christian pastor; Amir Hekmati, a former US Marine, and another inmate named Nosratollah Khosravi. “There is no shortage of those”.

But Saudi Arabia and the other Sunni Arab states should not be so obsessed with the danger posed by Iran, which they view as their main regional adversary.

Dion made the comment in response to a question from Conservative MP Tony Clement, who referenced a report that said Bombardier was doing business in Iran “despite the fact Canada has sanctions in place”. These sanctions bar American citizens and companies from most forms of investment or trade with the country. “This isn’t going to happen in the next 18 months”, he said. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir warned on 19 January that if these funds “go to support the nefarious activities of the Iranian regime, this will be a negative and it will generate a pushback”. Of course, it is possible to find out which payment has gone where. Iran was getting very close to breakout capacity – the point where it would have had enough fissile material for a bomb – which was a recipe for a war that very likely would have involved America.

But many other banks and firms, ranging from worldwide oil companies to small investors, are treading carefully because of legal uncertainties and making sure they will not face heavy fines by violating the residual United States sanctions.

In 2013, Ottawa imposed a near-total trade embargo on Iran that included economic sanctions and travel restrictions against 78 officials and 508 organizations.

Compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – the Iran nuclear deal agreed upon last July – allows for the removal of United Nations sanctions, the eventual rollback of some European Union sanctions, and the end of secondary sanctions imposed by the United States.