Via Canada's Sun News who reports that Canada has officially listed Iran on it's list of state sponsors of terrorism and have removed their people, shutting down their embassy in Tehran.
Canada has placed Iran on its list of state sponsors of terrorism and has shut down its embassy in Tehran, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said.
Baird, speaking to reporters ahead of the opening of the annual summit of Pacific nation leaders here, said the skeleton Canadian Embassy staff in Tehran has been withdrawn for their own safety.
Canada is also expelling all Iranian diplomats in Canada.
"Canada views the government of Iran as the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today," Baird said. "The government of Canada is formally listing Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism."
Baird said the federal government is also officially warning Canadians not to travel to Iran.
"We feel that it's no longer safe to have representatives of the government of Canada in Tehran," Baird said.
Baird also listed their grievances:
"Under the circumstances, Canada can no longer maintain a diplomatic presence in Tehran," Baird said. "There's a just a long list of reasons why we're coming to this decision."
- Iran refuses to comply with the United Nations resolutions pertaining to its nuclear program
- Increasing military assistance to the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad
- Iran shelters and "materially supports" terrorist groups
- Routine threats to the existence of the state of Israel
- Repeated violations of the Vienna Convention which governs diplomatic relations between most countries of the world
- "Racist anti-Semitic rhetoric and incitement to genocide," Baird said.
- Worst violators of human rights.
Baird said all Canadian diplomats have already left Iran.
H/T Hot Air
[Update] Iran threatens retaliation against Canada.
"The hostile behavior of the current racist government in Canada in reality follows the policies dictated by the Zionists (Israel) and the British."
Iran has been a regional adversary of Israel since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, while Britain expelled Iranian diplomats late last year after radical Iranian protesters sacked its embassy in Tehran.
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, who heads Iran's influential parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, said there could be an "immediate and decisive" response to Canada's action, Fars news agency reported.
"It is essential that the foreign ministry respond to this action by Canada on the basis of national interests."
