Canada denounces Iran as "the most significant threat to global peace"
Canada announced on Friday (7/9/2012) that it is closing down its embassy in
Iran, and has also expelled all Iranian diplomats from the country.
"Canada has closed it's embassy in Iran, effective immediately, and
declared persona non gratae all remaining Iranian diplomates in Canada,"
states Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird in a press release, which
later further explains that "Diplomatic relations between Canada and Iran
have been suspended. All Canadian diplomatic staff have left Iran, and Iranian
diplomats in Ottawa have been instructed to leave within five days."Baird expressed a robust and unwavering Canadian government stance on 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."The Canadian Foreign Minister then went on to list the assorted dangerous
rogue behaviours of the Iranian regime: "The Iranian regime is providing
increasing military assistance to the Assad regime; it refuses to comply with
UN resolutions pertaining to its nuclear program; it routinely threatens the
existence of Israel and engages in racist anti-Semitic rhetoric and incitement
to genocide; it is among the world's worst violators of human rights; and it
shelters and materially supports terrorist groups, requiring the Government of
Canada to formally list Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism under the Justice
for Victims of Terrorism Act. Moreover, the Iranian regime has shown blatant
disregard for the Vienna Convention and its guarantee of protection for
diplomatic personnel. Under the circumstances, Canada can no longer maintain a
diplomatic presence in Iran."The Canadian government's decision was positively received by opposition MPs
such as former Attorney-General Prof. Irwin Cotler, co-Chair of the
Interparliamentary Group for Human Rights in Iran and International Chair of
the Responsibility to Prevent Coalition, which published a report on
"The Danger of a Nuclear, Genocidal, and Rights-Violating Iran."Cotler stated that "The Canadian government's decision to close the
Canadian Embassy in Iran - and expel Iranian diplomats from Canada - is as
important for the reasons underlying the decision, as the decision
itself," adding that "Iran has emerged as a clear and present danger
to international peace and security manifested in the four-fold Iranian threat:
Iran is in standing violation of international law prohibiting nuclear weaponisation;
Iran has already committed the crime of incitement to genocide prohibited under
the Genocide Convention;
Iran is a leading state-sponsor of international
terrorism; and, finally,
Iran is engaged in the massive domestic repression of
the rights of its own people."
Colter also mentioned other reasons
underpinning the Canadian decision:
"Iran's complicity in Syria's
atrocities;
Iran's complicity in assaults upon diplomats from Central Asia to
Central America; and
the intimidation of Canadian-Iranians in Canada."...
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