Iran lists Canada’s navy as terrorist organization

Tehran has designated Canada’s navy as a terrorist organization in response to Ottawa’s decision to add an Iranian military branch to its list of extremist groups.

In a statement, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Canada’s 2024 listing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity contravened international law.

The statement notes that a 2019 Iranian law, passed after the United States designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization, authorizes reciprocal action against countries that follow Washington’s lead.

It says Iran considers the Royal Canadian Navy to fall within the scope of this law and, as a result, labels it a terrorist organization.

The Department of National Defence referred an inquiry about the move to Global Affairs Canada, but Global Affairs did not immediately comment.

Canada says Iran has a long history of denying its citizens their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and maintains that Tehran’s actions have seriously threatened global peace and security.