Canada Recognizes Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a Terrorist Organization

Canada has included Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an elite unit of Iran's armed forces, in its list of terrorist organizations, TASS reports.

“Our government has decided to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization under the Canadian Criminal Code,” said Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc to reporters.

LeBlanc added that with such actions, Ottawa is sending a “clear signal that Canada will use all available tools to combat the IRGC as a terrorist organization.”

He explained that the authorities decided to add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to the list of terrorist organizations “based on recommendations from Canadian intelligence services, as well as foreign policy considerations.” According to him, Ottawa received “significant and compelling evidence” from intelligence services that this action was necessary.

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, for her part, called on all Canadians in Iran to return home as quickly as possible, and urged those contemplating travel to Iran to abandon such plans. She reminded that Ottawa has severed diplomatic relations with Tehran, and therefore cannot provide any assistance to its citizens.