Preparing for War: Canada closes Iran embassy, expels Iranian diplomats
Lies, Damn Lies, and now this: In a surprise move Friday, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced that Canada was closing its embassy in Tehran and expelling Iranian diplomats from Canada as it formally declared Iran a "state sponsor of terrorism". - Baird branded Iran as the “most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today.” He cited a list of long-standing beefs with the regime in Tehran as justification for the abrupt move, including Iranian military assistance to Syria and its refusal to comply with United Nations resolutions on its nuclear program. “It routinely threatens the existence of Israel and engages in racist anti-Semitic rhetoric and incitement to genocide; it is among the world’s worst violators of human rights,” Baird told reporters in Vladivostok, Russia. Pressed on why Canada decided to act now on grievances it’s had for months and years, Baird said only, “There’s just a long list of reasons why we’re coming to this decision.” [Absolutely pathetic!]
BBC: Canada closes Iranian embassy and kicks out diplomats
Jason Ditz: Canada Denounces Iran as 'Threat to Global Security' - Much to the delight of Israeli hawks, the Canadian government announced today that it is severing all diplomatic ties with Iran, closing its Tehran embassy and expelling every Iranian diplomat from Canada. The move was loudly praised by Israeli officials as well as the ADL, which urged the world to “follow Canada’s lead” in severing ties in the lead up to a potential war, saying the nation’s civilian nuclear program and “anti-Semitic rhetoric” can no longer be tolerated.
Russia Today: Canada closes Iranian embassy, suspends diplomatic ties - Closing ranks with the US and Israel, Canada has denounced Iran as the biggest threat to global security and said it will expel all of the Islamic Republic’s diplomats from its territory by September 12th. "Canada views the government of Iran as the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today," Foreign Minister John Baird said in a statement. "Under the circumstances, Canada can no longer maintain a diplomatic presence in Iran … Diplomatic relations between Canada and Iran have been suspended," he added. The Foreign Minister also blasted Iran for its support of Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, as well as Tehran's controversial nuclear program. The fact that the Canadian government is a staunch ally of Israel has also played a part in the decision to cut ties with Iran.
Fars News Agency: MP: Britain's Anger Underlying Canada's Decision to Close Tehran Embassy - The decision to close the Canadian embassy in Tehran was taken by London - as the supervisor of the Canadian government - which is angry at Iran for the closure of its mission in Tehran in 2011, a senior member of the Iranian parliament said Saturday. "It should be noted that the Canadian government is supervised by the British governor general and should be recognized by the British queen (to start a mandate), therefore, given the closure of the British embassy in Tehran, such a measure is actually a kind of reaction to the closure of the British embassy in Tehran last year," member of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Javad Jahangirzadeh told FNA. He downplayed Ottawa's decision to close its embassy in Tehran, and predicted that the Canadian government will finally be obliged to return its diplomats to Tehran and resume bilateral ties due to Iran's important role in regional and international developments.