Prime Minister Mark Carney has firmly stated that high-ranking members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are being kept out of Canada, following reports that the IRGC-connected president of Iran's soccer federation was turned away at the border despite holding a valid visitor visa.
Carney's Remarks in Oakville
Speaking to reporters on Thursday in Oakville, Ontario, Carney addressed questions about Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj, who was reportedly denied entry into Canada this week after receiving a visitor visa. While declining to comment on the specific case due to privacy rules, Carney insisted that no IRGC members have entered Canada since the organization was designated as a terrorist group.
"The Iranian Revolutionary Guard and all its members has been listed as a terrorist organization for several years – their members are prohibited from coming," Carney said during a noon-hour press conference. "We have a series of screens that we take action, and no (IRGC) members have entered the country, action has been taken appropriately."
Carney acknowledged that there are "multiple hurdles" to enter Canada but added that there are always opportunities to review policy and identify areas for improvement.
Background on the Incident
Tehran-based news outlet Iran International reported that Taj had been granted a temporary resident visa to enter Canada, a standard visa for tourists and temporary visitors, ahead of his arrival at Toronto Pearson International Airport. However, he was turned away by border guards as inadmissible due to his IRGC connections.
Taj and two Iranian officials were reportedly returned to Turkey on the next available flight. The IRGC-connected Tasnim news agency criticized Canadian immigration officials for "inappropriate behaviour" in denying Taj entry.
Taj was en route to Canada for pre-FIFA World Cup events, with representatives of member soccer federations expected to attend meetings starting Thursday.
Political Reactions
Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner questioned why Taj was granted a visa in the first place. "How did this guy get on a plane? He's an Iranian regime official – clearly documented," she said. "A simple Google search would've told them that."
Broader Context: Visa Cancellations
Data released last month by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) indicates that approximately 17,800 visa applications were reviewed for potential inadmissibility by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), with 239 of them being cancelled as of March 5.
Thirty-two individuals were deemed inadmissible due to established connections to Iranian leadership, and 23 cases were referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) for admissibility hearings. Seventeen cases were scheduled for hearings at the behest of the CBSA, with eight already concluded.
Of those eight, three were determined to be senior regime officials and issued deportation orders, one of whom has already been removed from Canada.
