Canada Advises Citizens to Leave Iran Amid Rising Tensions

Summary:
The Canadian government is advising Canadians in Iran to return home due to potential retaliatory actions, including arbitrary arrests, following Canada’s designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. Iranian authorities condemned the designation as politically motivated and ineffective. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly highlighted the risks, urging Canadians in Iran to leave and those planning to travel there to reconsider. Canada updated its travel advisory, warning of heightened surveillance and risks.
Former Canadian head of mission in Iran, Dennis Horak, emphasized Iran’s capability for cyber and physical surveillance, noting the risk of arbitrary detention as a form of retaliation. Iranian-Canadians have reported harassment, threats, and surveillance both in Iran and Canada, with some facing severe consequences, including detainment and violence. The RCMP and Canadian Security Intelligence Service are engaging with diaspora communities to address these threats.