Canada Expands Entry Restrictions for Islamic Republic Officials

The Canadian government announced that "in ongoing response to the blatant actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in violating human rights," it is expanding entry and presence restrictions for Islamic Republic officials in the country. The new law was published on Sunday, September 16, on the website of the Canada Border Services Agency. According to this law, all individuals who have served in the Iranian government since June 23, 2003, will be subject to enforcement actions such as visa application denial or deportation for entering or continuing to stay in Canada. June 23, 2003, marks the day of the arrest of Zahra (Ziba) Kazemi, an Iranian-Canadian journalist who was detained in Tehran and died during interrogation due to what was described as "blows to her head." The previous Canadian law, announced about two years ago, had imposed restrictions on individuals who served in the Iranian government since November 2019. The Canadian government announced this restriction based on the "Immigration and Refugee Protection Act" and stated: "Canada will not be a safe haven for senior members of a regime that engages in terrorism and systematic and blatant human rights violations." The Association of Families of Victims of Flight PS752 supported the new action by the Canadian government. Kourosh Doostshenas, spokesperson for this association, wrote in a message on social media platform X: "Today, Canada took an important step in holding the Islamic regime of Iran accountable." Following the downing of the Ukrainian passenger plane by IRGC missiles over Tehran, Canada imposed extensive restrictions against the Islamic Republic and also designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization earlier this year.