“It is a measure that has only been used in the most serious circumstances, against regimes that commit war crimes or genocide, such as Bosnia or Rwanda,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Iran is currently experiencing a protest movement, with Iranian women in the forefront, following the death of Mahsa Amini, the young woman who died in police custody after being arrested by the so-called Iranian vice police.

More than 150 people have died as a result of Iranian security forces’ crackdown on protests, according to non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The Iranian regime has made hundreds of arrests and imposed severe restrictions on access to social media. Tehran has also accused outside forces of fueling the protests, particularly the United States and Israel.

“We must hold the barbaric Iranian regime responsible, which has committed murder and imposed terror,” said the head of the Canadian government, referring to Tehran’s “irresponsible disregard for human rights”.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland also called the Iranian regime “repressive, theocratic and misogynistic”.

Tehran has accused outside forces of fueling the protests, including the United States, its eternal enemy.

By the end of September, Canada had imposed sanctions on a dozen Iranian officials and entities, including the vice squad, while other countries, such as the United States, also adopted economic reprisal measures.

Iranian authorities said on Friday that Mahsa Amini’s death was not caused by “blows” but by the consequences of an illness.

Arrested on September 13 by the morality police of Tehran for having broken the strict code of wearing women’s clothing provided for by the laws of the Islamic Republic, in particular the wearing of the veil, this Iranian Kurd died three days later in hospital .

Several opposition activists said she suffered head injuries while in detention. Iranian authorities denied any physical contact between police and the young woman and said they were awaiting the outcome of the investigation.

“Mahsa Amini’s death was not caused by blows to the head or vital organs” but was linked to “brain tumor surgery when she was eight years old”, said a report from the Iranian forensic organization, and while his father Amjad Amini said his daughter was in “perfect health”.