Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday expressed outrage over reports that Canada has designated the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) an official terrorist organisation, suggesting Iran may take “retaliatory measures” against the move.
The IRGC is a formal branch of the Iranian military and the regime uses it to control and nurture terrorist proxies around the world. Its Quds Force has been responsible for terrorist activities, including the bombings that killed and injured hundreds of American soldiers in Iraq and Syria. But the regime more generally uses the IRGC to maintain ties with terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas, and other affiliated groups.
President Donald Trump’s administration designated the IRGC a terrorist organization in 2019 because “not only is Iran a state sponsor of terrorism, but the IRGC actively participates in, finances, and promotes terrorism as a means of state control,” according to then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Canada followed suit on Wednesday, saying through Public Security Minister Dominic Leblanc that there was “reasonable grounds to believe that the IRGC knowingly committed, attempted to commit, participated in or assisted in terrorist activities.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Naser Kanani responded to the designation on Thursday: Assert The IRGC is a legitimate organization according to the regulations of the Islamic Regime of Iran. Constitution He called Canada’s measures “political, unconventional and reckless.”
“Such irresponsible and provocative moves are the same misguided path the Canadian government has been following for over a decade under the influence of warmongers, who are the true violators of human rights and major supporters of terrorism,” Kanani said.
Kanani reiterated the administration’s assertion that the IRGC does not engage in terrorist acts but fights terrorist organizations, and accused Ottawa of taking “hostile actions” against Tehran.
He concluded that Iran would consider an “appropriate and retaliatory response” to the move, according to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, which did not elaborate on what such a response would be.
Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, Leblanc, Said The IRGC designation was necessary because of Iran’s “total disregard for human rights at home and abroad, and its willingness to destabilize the international rules-based order,” Wednesday’s announcement said.
“The listing of the IRGC builds on the Government of Canada’s broader efforts to ensure that Iran’s illegal activities and support of terrorism are not tolerated with impunity,” LeBlanc said. “The Government of Canada will always promote human rights and take action against those who seek to disrupt our lives in Canada and around the world.”
In addition to designating the IRGC, the Canadian government also warned Iranian nationals to leave the country as soon as possible in case of possible retaliation.
While many in the international community praised the move, Canadian conservatives recalled that far-left Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had not moved toward designating the IRGC for years, stalling the process despite support in the House of Commons.
“It took Prime Minister Trudeau and his Liberal government six years to put the IRGC on the list… As a result of that delay, Prime Minister Trudeau’s inaction has made the IRGC more powerful.” lamented Conservative Party leaders Michael Chong and Melissa Lanzman said in a statement Wednesday.
Calls for Canada to designate the IRGC increased significantly after the terrorist organization shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, a civilian aircraft, in early 2020. Murder Of the 176 people on board, 85 were Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The plane had taken off from Tehran en route to Kiev just before it was shot down. The downing occurred shortly after President Trump ordered airstrikes to eliminate then-commander of the Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani. Reports said the IRGC mistook the plane for a US missile and shot it down.
The Iranian government blamed the United States for the incident and quickly removed incriminating evidence from the crash site. Nevertheless, the families of the innocent people who died on the plane filed a lawsuit against the Iranian government and successfully overturned sovereign immunity in Canada. In January 2022, a Canadian court ordered the Iranian government to pay $84 million in damages to the families, but the Iranian government ignored the ruling. In response, the Iranian government filed a lawsuit against Trump and Pompeo under Islamic law. ShariaHe ordered airstrikes against Soleimani.
In July 2023, Canada joined several other countries that lost nationals in the incident in suing Iran at the International Court of Justice and demanding an apology.
The PS752 Family Association welcomed this week’s announcement that Canada has declared the IRGC a terrorist organization.
“It’s been a long journey. A long, hard journey,” said board member Hamed Esmailion, who lost his wife and daughter on the plane. “It’s very important that we hold those people and organizations responsible for these atrocities against Canadians and Iranians accountable.”
