Iranian lawmakers introduced a motion on Sunday to label the Canadian army a “terrorist” entity, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency. This move follows Canada’s recent designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
The motion was presented during an open session in Tehran, where the Iranian parliament reacted to Canada’s declaration on Wednesday. The new measure mandates the Iranian government to categorize the Canadian army and affiliated armed and security forces as “terrorist” organizations.
A statement signed by 250 Iranian parliament members condemned Canada’s decision to blacklist the IRGC. They expressed strong support for the IRGC and criticized the Canadian action as “unwise” and in violation of international laws. The parliament called on Iran’s Foreign Ministry to leverage all political and international channels to oppose Canada’s move.
Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced the decision to list the IRGC as a terrorist group on Wednesday. LeBlanc emphasized that Canada would use all available tools to combat what he described as the IRGC’s terrorist activities and accused the Iranian force of human rights abuses both within Iran and internationally.
Interim Iranian FM condemns Canada
In response, Iran’s caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri condemned Canada’s “provocative and irresponsible” decision. Bagheri argued that blacklisting the IRGC, an integral part of Iran’s official military, violates international law principles and jeopardizes regional peace and stability.