Grassroots group seeks public tips on Iran's agents in Canada

The Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, is illuminated in the colours of the Iranian flag in a show of solidarity for protests that have erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini, October 3, 2022.
The Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, is illuminated in the colours of the Iranian flag in a show of solidarity for protests that have erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini, October 3, 2022.

A grassroots coalition of lawyers and concerned Iranians in Canada is urging the public to share any information they may have about individuals connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Islamic Republic.

This appeal follows Canada's official designation of Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a "terrorist entity" in June, underscoring the government's responsibility to act against such threats.

Established in 2022, StopIRGC is a British Columbia-based organization led by Iranian-Canadian lawyers and volunteers dedicated to investigating and identifying potential activities associated with the IRGC. Since the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of Tehran's morality police in September 2022, the coalition has taken on the task of tracking the Islamic Republic’s agents operating on Canadian soil. These agents are believed to spy on Iranian diaspora activists and engage in activities such as money laundering and sanctions evasion.

In response to persistent appeals from the Iranian diaspora to bar regime-affiliated officials from entering Canada—particularly following the Iranian authorities' brutal crackdown on the nationwide "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests in 2022—the Canadian government has begun deporting individuals linked to the establishment. In July, reports emerged that Canadian immigration authorities had initiated deportation proceedings against five suspected senior Iranian government officials residing in the country. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has alleged that these individuals held senior positions within Iran’s government and has requested the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) to conduct hearings on their cases, as reported by Global News.

Although the Trudeau government imposed sanctions in November 2022 to bar individuals connected to the Iranian state from entering Canada, the first deportation order was issued in February 2024. According to Global News, this policy has already resulted in deportation orders against Majid Iranmanesh, a former science advisor, and Seyed Salman Samani, a former deputy interior minister.

Nevertheless, the influence of the Islamic Republic extends beyond the Iranian diaspora, encompassing anti-Israeli activities as well. In early August, Iran International exclusively reported that Iran was orchestrating anti-Israel protests at a Canadian university, aiming to weaken Western support for Israel and sow division within Canada.

Furthermore, in its annual report released in May, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) highlighted cyber-attacks originating from the Islamic Republic, specifically targeting Canada. A separate report on foreign interference, also published in May, identified Iran, alongside China, Russia, India, and Pakistan, as key threats to Canadian national security.