Canadian Conservative lawmakers have accused their government of allowing operatives linked to the Iranian regime to remain in Canada despite identification efforts. The opposition calls for immediate action after revealing that 239 Iranian regime officials had their visas canceled, yet only one has been deported so far.
Canadian Conservatives Demand Action on Iranian Operatives
Deputy Conservative leader Melissa Lantsman, immigration shadow minister Michelle Rempel, and Québec Lieutenant Pierre Paul-Hus issued a joint statement demanding that the Liberal government present a plan within one week to halt Iranian regime activities in Canada. They highlighted parliamentary testimony acknowledging legal obstacles in deportations, including asylum claims, lack of direct flights to Iran, and privacy laws.
The lawmakers stressed that the government has been aware for years of hundreds of Iranians linked to Tehran residing in Canada. They argue the current approach is insufficient to address national security concerns related to these individuals.
Security Concerns Over Iranian Networks in North America
US officials, including former President Donald Trump, have warned about Iranian “sleeper cells” potentially operating in North America. Trump stated that US authorities are monitoring Iranian networks that entered the United States in recent years, attributing entry partially to border policies under the Biden administration.
Exiled Iranian journalist Mehdi Ghadimi, based in Canada, explained that Iranian regime affiliates often enter Western countries as students, investors, or immigrants connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He noted that some of these individuals use financial networks tied to the regime, moving substantial sums abroad with possible approval from Iranian security institutions.
Maryam Shariatmadari, an exiled Iranian activist, criticized the increasing visibility of Iranian regime agents in Canada, highlighting cases involving individuals tied to corruption scandals and their public support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah despite remaining silent about Iranian dissident killings.
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