Key Takeaways:
- There are at least 3,000 Canadian citizens and permanent residents in Iran amidst ongoing protests and a brutal regime crackdown.
- Canada has no diplomatic relations with Iran and has urged Canadians in the country to leave if it is safe to do so.
- The freeze in diplomatic relations between Canada and Iran dates back to 2012, when Canada suspended all bilateral trade and severed diplomatic ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
- The current protests in Iran were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in a Tehran hospital after being arrested for defying the Iranian regime’s hijab laws.
- Canada has placed sanctions on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s "morality police" and has listed the IRGC as a terrorist organization under the Criminal Code.
Introduction to the Crisis
The current situation in Iran is dire, with mass protests against the regime resulting in an estimated 2,000 deaths so far. Canada has strongly condemned the killing of protesters and has urged its citizens to leave the country if it is safe to do so. However, the lack of diplomatic relations between Canada and Iran has limited the country’s ability to provide consular services to its citizens. Italy acts as a "protecting power" for Canada in Iran, with a limited diplomatic capacity for handling emergency consular cases. Switzerland, on the other hand, acts as a protecting power for Iran in Canada.
The Breakdown of Diplomatic Relations
The freeze in diplomatic relations between Canada and Iran dates back to 2012, when the Conservative government led by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper placed economic sanctions on Iran over fears that the country was pursuing the development of nuclear weapons. The federal government at the time said this was done "in close consultation with like-minded partners, including the United States and the European Union." Soon after, the government suspended all bilateral trade with Iran and severed all diplomatic ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The 2012 suspension of diplomatic relations cited Iran’s "increasing military assistance" to Syrian dictator Bashar Al Assad during his brutal crackdown on Arab Spring protests, which included his use of chemical weapons against his own people.
The Thaw and Refreeze of Relations
In 2015, a new Liberal Canadian government under then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed to renew ties with Iran after the Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA. As part of the deal, Iran agreed to limit any activities in its nuclear program that could lead to the production of weapons-grade uranium. In return, most nations agreed to lift some of the sanctions against Tehran. However, the thaw did not last long, and in 2018, the first administration of U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. This move led to a significant escalation of tensions between Iran and the international community, including Canada.
The Mahsa Amini Protests and Beyond
The current protests in Iran were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in a Tehran hospital after being arrested for defying the Iranian regime’s hijab laws. The Iranian government said Amini had a heart attack at the police station and fell into a coma before she reached the hospital. However, reporting quickly emerged, citing eyewitnesses who said that she was severely beaten by police and died as a result of her injuries. Her death sparked the largest wave of mass protest against the Iranian regime in years. Canada responded by placing sanctions on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s notorious "morality police" and named a street after Amini in Ottawa.
The Current Situation
As mass protests against Iran’s regime intensified this month, Canada said it "strongly condemns the horrific killing of protesters in Iran." Due to the lack of a Canadian embassy in Tehran, Canada’s ability to provide consular services in Iran is "extremely limited." The government has urged Canadians in Iran to leave the country if it is safe to do so and to make a land border crossing to either Turkey or Armenia to access any consular support services. Canadians can also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The situation in Iran remains volatile, and Canada continues to monitor the situation closely and provide support to its citizens in the country.