Canada has listed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist” entity and urged its citizens in Iran to leave.
The Canadian government made the announcement on Wednesday, saying that the move will help Ottawa with “countering terrorist financing”. “The decision to list the IRGC through the Criminal Code listing regime sends a strong message that Canada will use all tools at its disposal to combat the terrorist activity of the IRGC, conducted both unilaterally and in knowing association with listed terrorist entities such as Hezbollah and Hamas,” the Canadian government said in a statement.
Iran on Thursday condemned Canada’s listing as an “unwise and unconventional politically motivated step”, the Fars news agency reported.
“Canada’s action will not have any effect on the Revolutionary Guards’ legitimate and deterrent power,” said Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Nasser Kanaani, adding that Tehran reserves the right to respond accordingly to the listing.
For years, the opposition Conservatives in Canada have urged Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to blacklist the IRGC.
On Wednesday, Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister of public safety, cited Iran’s human rights record as one of the reasons behind the decision.
“The Iranian regime has consistently displayed a complete disregard for human rights, both inside and outside Iran, as well as a willingness to destabilise the international rules-based order,” LeBlanc said in a statement.
Credit: aljazeera.com
