The Canadian government is firm in its commitment to remove individuals with ties to the Iranian regime or who sponsor terrorism globally, Defence Minister Bill Blair stated following reports of a second alleged senior Iranian official facing deportation. The case against Iranmanesh Majid has been launched, and deportation hearings are scheduled to begin, concerning his connections to the Iranian regime under new sanctions introduced in 2022.
Seyed Salman Samani had also been referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) for hearings regarding his ties to the Iranian government. Canada’s new sanctions against senior members of the Iranian regime were implemented to apply to those responsible for crimes against the people of Iran and other nations. The ban covers a range of officials, from heads of state to military officials and judges.
The Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) has stated that implicated officials may be investigated and removed from the country. Bill Blair emphasized the importance of community cooperation and information sharing to effectively deal with individuals connected to the Iranian government or sponsor terrorism.
While the federal government remains concerned about the activities of the Iranian government, it is careful not to suggest that Iranians are unwelcome in the country. However, individuals with a history demonstrating their ineligibility for entry will be dealt with to protect Canada’s national interests. However, the federal Conservatives have called for the Liberal government to ban the IRGC from Canada. In 2018, the Liberals supported a Tory motion to label the IRGC as a terrorist entity, but concerns about the implications of this action have been raised.