Canada's Public Safety Minister: Some Iranian Officials Residing in Canada May Be Deported Following Designation of IRGC as Terrorist

On Wednesday, June 30, Canada's Public Safety Minister announced the inclusion of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the country's list of terrorist organizations during a press conference in Ottawa. Dominic LeBlanc stated, "This action sends a clear message that Canada will utilize all available tools to combat the terrorist entity of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps." He added that as a result of this action, based on the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, thousands of senior officials of the Iranian government and the IRGC will be barred from entering Canada, and current or former officials of the Iranian government residing in Canada may also be investigated or deported. The Canadian Public Safety Minister also noted that the Iranian government has consistently shown complete disregard for human rights, both inside and outside Iran, and has expressed a desire to destabilize the international rule-based order. LeBlanc further stated that the Canadian government will ensure that there will be no immunity for the Iranian regime regarding illegal actions and its support for terrorism. He emphasized that Canada has implemented some of the world's most severe measures against the Iranian regime, including listing several terrorist entities such as Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Taliban, which have historically benefited from IRGC support and advance the interests of the Iranian regime in foreign policy. This Canadian official noted that Ottawa recognizes the Iranian government as a regime involved in terrorism and systematic human rights violations. Last month, Canadian Parliament members unanimously approved this action and urged the Liberal government led by Justin Trudeau to designate the IRGC as "terrorist." The IRGC is a branch of the armed forces in Iran that directly answers to Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. The IRGC's missiles shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 over Tehran about four years ago, killing all passengers, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents of Canada. Families of the victims of this tragedy have long urged the Canadian government to designate the IRGC as a terrorist group. The United States officially added the IRGC to its list of terrorist organizations in 2019. Previously, the U.S. Treasury Department had designated the IRGC as a terrorist group in 2017. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have also listed the IRGC as a terrorist organization since October 2018. While EU diplomats are hesitant about listing the IRGC as a terrorist organization, European Parliament representatives recently voted positively to add the IRGC to the terrorist groups list. Listing the IRGC as a terrorist organization by Western countries is the main demand of the Iranian opposition, especially following the nationwide protests in Iran in 2022 known as the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement. The U.S. supports the designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization globally. The families of the victims of Flight PS752 emphasize their commitment to seeking truth and justice. The U.S. has sanctioned several individuals and companies for "aiding the Houthis, Hezbollah, and the IRGC." The decision by several European countries to list the IRGC as a terrorist organization is based on a court ruling in Germany.