Baird said that in round after round of international talks, Iran has failed to engage meaningfully while the risk posed by its nuclear activities increases. The Iranian government has offered only “false promises and empty gestures,” Baird said.

“Today we are compelled to take further actions against this reckless and irresponsible regime,” he said.

Thirty people and 82 new entities have now been added to the list, all believed to be involved directly or indirectly with facilitating, supporting or funding Iran’s nuclear proliferation activities, the foreign affairs minister said.

The last time Baird announced sanctions against Iran was in December when certain kinds of imports and exports were prohibited including oil, natural gas and mining materials.

“Canada like many of our closest allies is taking every possible effort to halt Iran’s reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons capabilities,” he said Wednesday.