On Friday, Canada said that it was closing its embassy in Tehran. Iranian diplomats were given five days to leave the country. Canada stated that the Islamic Republic was the "most significant threat to global peace and security'. Iran accused Canada of "hostile behaviour" and was under Israeli and British influence. Iran has raised the 'prospect of swift retaliation'.
Canada had 10 diplomats in Iran but they have already left Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast:
".....the Canadian move was a "continuation of anti-Iranian policies" by Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government, which has long had poor relations with Tehran.
"The current government of Canada under the leadership of Mr Stephen Harper is known for extreme policies in the domain of foreign policy," Mehr news agency quoted Mr. Mehmanparast as saying.
"The hostile behaviour of the current racist government in Canada in reality follows the policies dictated by the Zionists (Israel) and the British."
The Jewish state is Iran's arch-enemy, 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,
"It is essential that the foreign ministry respond to this action by Canada on the basis of national interests."
Mr. Mehmanparast said:
..... the Canadian move was an attempt to nullify Iran's diplomatic success in hosting a summit of Non-Aligned Movement developing countries last month, which he said Canada had tried to scuttle.
.....Canada's anti-Iranian policies included a ban on money transfers for Iranian students studying in Canada and the blocking of the bank accounts of ordinary Iranians as a result of Western sanctions imposed on Iran's banking sector.
Canada has more than 120,000 people reporting Iranian ethnic origins.
Relations with Tehran deteriorated markedly in 2003, when Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi died in Tehran's Evin prison while in custody.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, Canada
'Iran is among the world's worst violators of human rights. It shelters and materially supports terrorist groups," "Unequivocally, we have no information about a military strike on Iran."
"Canada’s position on the regime in Iran is well known. Canada views the government of Iran as the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today,"
“Canada is committed to fighting global terrorism and to holding perpetrators of terrorism — and those who provide them support — accountable for their actions,”
“Canada is committed to fighting global terrorism and to holding perpetrators of terrorism — and those who provide them support — accountable for their actions,”
The full story is at
http://www.cbc.ca/...