Five Iranians 'Affiliated with the Islamic Republic' on the Verge of Deportation from Canada; Ottawa Did Not Disclose the Names of Those Being Deported

On Tuesday, July 3, the Canadian government announced that the process of deporting five more Iranians suspected of collaborating with the 'Iranian regime' has begun, although immigration officials did not provide the names of those being deported to the media. Global News Canada reported, citing the country's Border Services Agency, that these suspects were senior officials in the 'repressive government of Iran.' This media outlet has requested that the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada hold the court sessions regarding the deportation cases of these individuals publicly. Canada, which has designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization since June of this year, states that these individuals are facing deportation under sanctions enacted in 2022 that prohibit dozens of thousands of senior Iranian officials, including IRGC members, from entering Canada. These sanctions were implemented following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police and the 'brutal suppression' of peaceful protests by the Iranian government. Previously, Salman Samani, the Deputy Minister of Interior under Rouhani's government, and Majid Iranmanesh, the former Director General of Support and Information Technology of the Islamic Republic's Presidency, had been deported by court order from Canada. Canadian media reported in the winter of 2023 that with the enactment of human rights sanctions against Iranian officials, at least nine individuals linked to the Iranian government are under review for potential deportation from Canada. It is noteworthy that on Wednesday, June 19, the Canadian government announced its decision to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization 'under criminal regulations.' The designation of the IRGC as a terrorist entity by the Canadian government has been met with positive reactions from political, civil, and human rights activists, as well as prominent figures opposing the Islamic Republic; many from Europe and Australia have called for similar actions.