Reports of 'Iranian Plot to Assassinate Former Canadian Prosecutor'; Tehran Denies

Following reports about a 'plot by Iranian agents' to assassinate Irwin Cotler, a former Canadian prosecutor and staunch opponent of the Islamic Republic, the Iranian Foreign Ministry denied these claims. The Director General for American Affairs at the Iranian Foreign Ministry on the evening of November 28, without mentioning Mr. Cotler's name, described the published reports as 'storytelling.' Earlier, the Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail reported that on October 26 (about a month ago), officials in Canada informed Irwin Cotler that he was at risk of assassination by Iranian agents within 48 hours. According to this newspaper, Canadian officials have also been tracking two individuals related to this assassination plot. According to Agence France-Presse, the 'Raoul Wallenberg Human Rights Center,' of which Irwin Cotler is a director, confirmed the report published in the Canadian newspaper and stated that Mr. Cotler has 'no information' regarding the arrest of individuals connected to this case. Irwin Cotler, who is now 84 years old, served as Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada from 2003 to 2006. He stepped back from political activities in 2015 and has since been involved in human rights work. According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website, the Director General for American Affairs at this ministry called the allegations 'part of a campaign to promote false information about Iran.' He also mentioned that the purpose of such accusations is to 'divert' public opinion from the events in Gaza. Irwin Cotler, who is Jewish and a supporter of Israel, has called for the IRGC to be declared a terrorist organization worldwide. According to the Globe and Mail, Mr. Cotler has been under police security protection in Canada since last year, following the outbreak of the current Gaza war.