Defence Minister Says Canada Committed to Removing Iranian Officials After 2nd Alleged Official Faces Deportation

National Defence Minister Bill Blair speaks to reporters on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Dec. 6, 2023. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

Defence Minister Bill Blair says the federal government is “absolutely committed” to removing individuals who are connected to the Iranian regime or sponsor terrorism around the world.  His comments came amid reports that a second alleged senior Iranian official will be deported from Canada.

“When individuals have been involved in activity that would make them ineligible to be in this country, we‘ll do everything we can to keep them out,” Mr. Blair told reporters on Dec. 13. “And when they do get into this country, we’ll do everything we can to remove them.”

The Canadian government has launched a case against Iranmanesh Majid, who faces possible deportation under sanctions introduced in 2022 banning senior members of the Iranian regime from Canada.

The case was scheduled to begin on Jan. 17, 2024, and the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) will conduct hearings to decide whether there are sufficient grounds to deport Mr. Majid due to his ties to the Iranian regime.

Last week, Global News reported that Seyed Salman Samani had also been referred to the IRB for hearings to begin on Jan. 3 for his ties to the Iranian regime. The Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) has said it is investigating 141 cases, with 38 being closed without action.

Canada’s ban on senior members of the Iranian regime, implemented on Nov. 14, 2022, applies to those who have “perpetrated crimes against the people of Iran and other nations.” The ban covers heads of state, cabinet members, ambassadors, senior diplomats, military officials, and judges from Iran.

“In addition to being banned from entering Canada, current and former senior officials present here may be investigated and removed from the country,” reads a press release from CBSA.

The Canadian government imposed additional sanctions on Iran in September to mark the one-year anniversary of the arrest of a woman for improperly wearing her hijab. The sanctions banned six senior regime officials from entering Canada or having holdings in the country.

‘Cooperation’ Required to Remove Individuals

Mr. Blair said individuals who have been involved with the Iranian regime or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), or who sponsor terrorism around the world, should be removed from Canada if the RCMP or CBSA become aware of information indicating their involvement.

“We need the cooperation of the community. We need information in order to deal effectively with these individuals,” Mr. Blair added.

Mr. Blair said that while the federal government is concerned about the Iranian regime’s activities, it should be careful not to suggest that Iranians are not welcome in the country.

“But there are some individuals whose history demonstrates that they are not appropriate for entry into Canada, and we'll do everything necessary to protect Canada’s national interests,” he said during a press conference in Ottawa last week.

The federal Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre have repeatedly called for the Liberal government to list the IRGC as a terrorist organization, with Mr. Poilievre calling the organization the “most sophisticated, well-financed terror group on planet Earth.” But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has not committed to listing it as a terrorist entity.

While the Liberals supported a Tory motion in the House of Commons in 2018 to designate the IRGC as a terrorist entity, they have not done so since. Back in 2022, then-justice minister David Lametti said he was concerned that using the Criminal Code against Iran would be too much of a “blunt instrument” since military service is mandatory in Iran and labelling the IRGC a terrorist organization may “punish innocent people or those against the regime.”