Canada closes embassy in Iran, expels Iranian diplomats

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http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/09/07/pol-baird-canada-iran-embassy.html

Canada has suspended diplomatic relations with Iran and is expelling Iranian diplomats from Canada, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced in a statement today.

Speaking to reporters in Russia, where he's attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-Operation summit, Baird said the government is formally listing Iran today as a state sponsor of terrorism under the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act. That will theoretically allow Canadians affected by terrorism supported by the Iranian regime to sue.

"Iran is among the world's worst violators of human rights. It shelters and materially supports terrorist groups," Baird said.

"Unequivocally, we have no information about a military strike on Iran," he added.

In the statement, Baird said Canada has closed its embassy in Iran, effective immediately, and declared personae non gratae all remaining Iranian diplomats in Canada. Those diplomats must leave within five days. All Canadian diplomats have already left Iran.

"Canada’s position on the regime in Iran is well known. Canada views the government of Iran as the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today," he said in the statement.

The statement cited Iran's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, its failure to comply with UN resolutions on its nuclear program, and its threats against Israel.

The statement also makes reference to Iran's "blatant disregard" of the Vienna Convention that guarantees the protection of diplomatic personnel.

Last November, Iranian students stormed the British Embassy in Tehran and ransacked its offices. Britain's foreign office summoned an Iranian diplomat in London, amid complaints that Iran failed to provide proper security to the embassy and didn't do enough in response to the attack.


Netanyahu congratulates Canada

Iran hasn't had a full ambassador in Canada since 2007, following a breakdown in relations after Iranian-Canadian photographer Zahra Kazemi was tortured and killed there in 2003.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is asking Canadians in need of assistance in Iran to contact the embassy in Ankara, Turkey. Anyone who needs urgent assistance should call the department's emergency line at 613-996-8885 or send an email to sos@international.gc.ca.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement congratulating Prime Minister Stephen Harper on the move, calling it a courageous act of leadership.

"The determination which Canada demonstrates is extremely important so that the Iranians understand that they cannot continue in their race to achieve nuclear weapons. This practical step must serve as an example to the international community [as regards to] moral standards and international responsibility," Netanyahu said.

Former diplomat Ken Taylor, who served as Canada's ambassador in Tehran during the 1979 Iranian revolution, says having a presence on the ground in a country is important. If the country's government won't interact, he said, there's still intelligence to gather.

"As a diplomat, I think you never give up. Of course, if it's a breach of diplomatic protocol, if in fact your diplomats are threatened, if in fact a country's conduct is not acceptable, this may proceed from persona non grata to the closing of the embassy," Taylor said.

"Obviously, though, the Canadian government is sending a message. Whether or not this is the best means to send a message is of course up to the government's cabinet.

"It's more than just a practical or technical severance of the relationship," he said.


Activists called for embassy closure

Pro-democracy activists in Canada renewed calls over the summer for the embassy in Ottawa to be closed.

The calls were sparked by a news report that said Iran's cultural counsellor in Ottawa, Hamid Mohammadi, suggested Iranian expatriates should be nurtured to be of service to Iran.

Baird issued a warning on July 13, saying the Iranian government has no right to interfere with Canadians who left Iran to build a better life.

"Obviously we're concerned by some of the reports that we've heard," Baird said.

"It is completely inconsistent with any diplomatic mission for the Iranian mission in Ottawa to interfere in the liberties that [Iranian-Canadians] enjoy in Canada. Any police organization will certainly take a look at any serious allegations that are raised in terms of their conduct.

"And obviously my department will watch very closely and will be pleased to hear any representations on anything that the embassy has done that is inconsistent with their function as diplomats in Ottawa."

One of the most prominent voices calling for the closure was Nazanin Afshin-Jam, a human rights activist and the wife of Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay.

Afshin-Jam's father was imprisoned and tortured in Iran before the family fled, eventually ending up in Vancouver.
 
I consider this as a good news since Iranians were using their embassy as a headquarter for their spies here in Canada.
 
Baird est surement le pire ministre des affaires étrangères que le Canada a jamais eu. Depuis qu'il est au poste il a juste terni nos relations avec les pays du moyen-orient. Je comprends pas pourquoi le Canada continue a supporter Israel..
 
Baird est surement le pire ministre des affaires étrangères que le Canada a jamais eu. Depuis qu'il est au poste il a juste terni nos relations avec les pays du moyen-orient. Je comprends pas pourquoi le Canada continue a supporter Israel..

third-party-facepalm.jpg
 
lol baird has such a pig-man face...srsly

You know he had his business cards redone...He removed the Canadian logo from it and replaced it with his name in gold at the cost of taxpayers.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/0...ister-_n_988360.html#s381624&title=Althia_Raj

Like a baws and thats the standard price for business cards. Seriously whats the big deal...??? Having a "Canada" logo on a business card is lame. If you got a business card from him you obviously know which country he represents.

I'm glad that they have the balls to start changing our "stereotypical Canadian"image. I would have kicked Iran out ages ago.
 
Depuis qu'il est au poste il a juste terni nos relations avec les pays du moyen-orient. Je comprends pas pourquoi le Canada continue a supporter Israel..
We didn't spoil our relationship with all arab countries. Only with the assholes. We're still in very good terms with many others.
As far as us liking and supporting Israel goes... They're our ally, they're the closest to our western values and the only truly democratic country in that area. On top of that, there are many canadian citizens living there.

Asking yourself why we like and feel closer to Israel than to its neighbors is as silly as asking yourself why we like France and England more than we like Belarus or Bosnia for example. (I have nothing against Bosnia or Belarus, just using them as an example)
 
I dont see why one country should be aloud nuclear weapons, while another one is not...
i knew the US was balls deep in Israeli pockets, now I know canada is in the same boat.
 
I dont see why one country should be aloud nuclear weapons, while another one is not...
i knew the US was balls deep in Israeli pockets, now I know canada is in the same boat.

I think we can say that we should go back to realpolitik , based on reality and not on blind idealism
 
Baird est surement le pire ministre des affaires étrangères que le Canada a jamais eu. Depuis qu'il est au poste il a juste terni nos relations avec les pays du moyen-orient. Je comprends pas pourquoi le Canada continue a supporter Israel..

jews run the banks and the media, the banks run the country, and the media runs dumbshits' lives. simple, no?

The banks determine what the politicians do and the media manufactures consent.
 
We didn't spoil our relationship with all arab countries. Only with the assholes. We're still in very good terms with many others.
As far as us liking and supporting Israel goes... They're our ally, they're the closest to our western values and the only truly democratic country in that area. On top of that, there are many canadian citizens living there.

Asking yourself why we like and feel closer to Israel than to its neighbors is as silly as asking yourself why we like France and England more than we like Belarus or Bosnia for example. (I have nothing against Bosnia or Belarus, just using them as an example)

so, so naive.
 
jews run the banks and the media, the banks run the country, and the media runs dumbshits' lives. simple, no?

The banks determine what the politicians do and the media manufactures consent.
The man right here is blinded by pure propaganda.
 
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