Canada closes embassy in Iran, to expel Iranian diplomats (September 7, 2012)

[100th Monkey]

I believe they are getting ready to attract Iran...

By David Ljunggren and Randall Palmer
September 7, 2012

Canada has closed its embassy in Iran and will expel all remaining Iranian diplomats in Canada within five days, Foreign Minister John Baird said on Friday, denouncing Tehran as the biggest threat to global security.

"Diplomatic relations between Canada and Iran have been suspended," Baird said.

Baird cited Iran's nuclear program, its hostility toward Israel and Iranian military assistance to the government of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, which is locked in civil war with rebels.

"Canada views the government of Iran as the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today," Baird said in a statement, accusing Iran of showing blatant disregard for the safety of foreign diplomats.

"Under the circumstances, Canada can no longer maintain a diplomatic presence in Iran," he said, declaring that Iran had shown "blatant disregard" for the Vienna Convention's guarantee of protection for diplomats.

Ottawa has long had poor relations with Iran, in part because of its enmity toward close Canadian ally Israel.

The United States has not had a functioning embassy in Tehran since the 1979-81 hostage crisis, when 52 Americans were held for 444 days. Britain's embassy in Tehran has been closed since it was stormed by protesters last November.

During the hostage crisis, the Canadian embassy in Tehran sheltered six U.S. diplomats who had avoided capture, and then helped them leave Iran with Canadian passports in January 1980. The Canadian embassy then closed, reopening only in 1988.

Canada closes embassy in Iran, to expel Iranian diplomats (Reuters)

 

[100th Monkey]

Canada closes Iran embassy, says Tehran 'most significant global threat'

Russia Today 7 Sep 2012

Canada closes embassy in Iran, to expel Iranian diplomats

Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird ..

OTTAWA | Fri Sep 7, 2012 7:48pm BST

(Reuters) - Canada has suspended diplomatic relations with Iran, closing its embassy in Tehran and giving all Iranian diplomats in Canada five days to leave the country, Foreign Minister John Baird said on Friday, calling Iran the biggest threat to global security.

Baird, in Russia for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, said Canada's actions were not linked to growing speculation that Israel might launch an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities

Canada has ordered all Iranian diplomats out of the country and is closing its embassy in Tehran. Ottawa said it was acting because of the Islamic state's support for the Syrian government, its threats against Israel and defiance of UN resolutions. For more on this story RT talks to Michel Chossudovsky, the director of the Center for Research on Globalization based in Montreal.

"Unequivocally, we have no information about a military strike on Iran," a spokesman quoted Baird as telling reporters.

Canada's Conservative government has long had very poor relations with Iran, arch-enemy of close Canadian ally Israel.

Baird cited Iran's nuclear program, its hostility toward Israel and Iranian military assistance to the government of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, which is locked in civil war with rebels. He also said Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism.

"Canada views the government of Iran as the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today," Baird said in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Canada's action, calling it a bold leadership move that sends a clear message to Iran and the entire world.

"The determination shown by Canada is of great importance in order for the Iranians to understand that they cannot go on with their race toward nuclear arms. This practical step must set an example of international morality and responsibility to the international community," Netanyahu said in a statement.

Israel, believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East, sees the possibility of Iran developing an atomic bomb as a threat to its existence and has said it may use military means if diplomacy and sanctions fail.

Baird accused Iran of showing blatant disregard for the safety of foreign diplomats. Britain's embassy in Tehran has been closed since it was stormed by protesters last November.

"Under the circumstances, Canada can no longer maintain a diplomatic presence in Iran," he said.

Canada's 10 diplomats in Iran have already left Tehran, according to the Canadian foreign ministry.

There are currently 17 Iranian diplomats in Canada, the Canadian foreign ministry added.

"Iranian diplomats in Ottawa have been instructed to leave within five days," Baird said in his statement.

The Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, an Iranian dissident group, urged European and Middle Eastern nations to follow Canada's initiative.

"Severing relations with the religious dictatorship ruling Iran and standing by the Iranian people ... are the only way to rid the world of a terrorist and fundamentalist regime," the council said in a statement.

The United States has not had a functioning embassy in Tehran since the 1979-81 hostage crisis, when 52 Americans were held for 444 days.

During the hostage crisis, the Canadian embassy in Tehran sheltered six U.S. diplomats who had avoided capture, and then helped them leave Iran with Canadian passports in January 1980. The Canadian embassy then closed, reopening only in 1988.

Bilateral ties worsened in 2003 when an Iranian-Canadian photo journalist died in Tehran's Evin prison while in custody.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Will Dunham)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/0...8860QE20120907

 

[Rehmat]

Re: Canada closes Iran embassy, says Tehran 'most significant global threat'

Iran never had diplomatic relation at ambassador level with Canada since 1980 - when Canada's ambassador Kenneth Taylor smuggled six CIA spies from US embassy in Tehran. It was only in 1996 that both nations formally exchanged ambassadors. Iran recalled its ambassador from Ottawa in 2003 when Canada supported US-Israel stand on Iran's nuclear program. Since then, Tehran has only Counsel-General in Ottawa and a diplomatic representative in Toronto.

In May, Ottawa stopped issuing visa to Iranian tourists or relatives planning to visit Canada.

Closing diplomatic relation even at this lower-level - proves that Ali Asghar Khaji, Iranian envoy at EU was right when he called Harper governmen "an Israeli Poodle".

Tehran: ‘Ottawa has become Israel’s ‘lap poodle’ | Rehmat's World