Iran Summons Italian Ambassador over Canada’s Anti-Tehran Stance

In a meeting on Tuesday, the director general for US affairs at the Iranian foreign ministry conveyed to the top Italian diplomat Iran’s strong protest at the Canadian government’s anti-human rights behaviour and its hypocrisy with regards to the civil and consular rights of Iranian nationals living in Canada.

The Italian ambassador was reminded that more than 400,000 Iranian expatriates in Canada have been deprived of receiving consular services over the past few years following the severance of ties between Iran and Canada.

The Iranian official also dismissed as unacceptable and contrary to Ottawa’s human rights claims the Canadian government’s continued disregard for Iran’s requests for the establishment of a consular office or an interests section, and Canada’s dodging this humanitarian responsibility.

The Iranian official also expressed Iran’s strong protest at other actions taken by the Canadian government.

“Moreover, the Canadian government has turned this country into a safe haven for economic and financial offenders of the world, and keeps shirking the responsibility for prosecuting, arresting and extraditing criminals such as Mahmoud-Reza Khavari, who lives in Canada like an ordinary citizen despite having embezzled $2.6 billion,” said the Iranian official.

“This comes as Khavari is on the Interpol’s Red Alert List, and the Canadian government is obliged to cooperate with Interpol to look into the issue and extradite Khavari,” he added.

The Italian ambassador was also reminded that these are only two examples of the Canadian government’s anti-rights actions, and that Canada’s continued politically-motivated approaches will question its competence as a country which claims to advocate human rights while criticizing the status of human rights in other countries.