Canadian Canary In The Iranian Coal Mine...????

[Selene]

Canada cuts ties with Iran, closes embassy, orders Iranian diplomats home



By Mike Blanchfield, THE CANADIAN PRESS September 7, 2012 12:12 PM



Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird blamed Iran’s increasing military assistance to the Syrian government, its refusal to comply with UN resolutions on its nuclear program, its anti-Israel stance and its support for terrorism as among the reasons for the move.



Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird blamed Iran’s increasing military assistance to the Syrian government, its refusal to comply with UN resolutions on its nuclear program, its anti-Israel stance and its support for terrorism as among the reasons for the move.

Photograph by: Adrian Wyld , THE CANADIAN PRESS



VLADIVOSTOK, Russia — Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has severed Canadian ties with Iran over its sponsorship of terrorism and amid fears about the safety of diplomats in the country.

Baird says the Canadian embassy in Tehran will close immediately and Iranian diplomats in Canada have been given five days to leave.



The skeleton staff that was operating Canada's Tehran mission has already fled the country.



Baird says he's worried about the safety of diplomats in Tehran following recent attacks on the British embassy there.



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[caroljane]

Oh, boy; they've never forgotten who hid those Americans from Khomeini.

Does the US still have an embassy in Tehran?

[Selene]

Oh, boy; they've never forgotten who hid those Americans from Khomeini.

Does the US still have an embassy in Tehran?

No

[caroljane]

Oh, boy; they've never forgotten who hid those Americans from Khomeini.

Does the US still have an embassy in Tehran?

No

That was a pretty dumb question of mine eh, Still, they could have reestablished diplo relations and opened up again when I wasn't looking.

I am worried about my friends and students with family in Tehran. One of them was actually going to visit there in Sept. This can't be good for them,

[Selene]

Oh, boy; they've never forgotten who hid those Americans from Khomeini.

Does the US still have an embassy in Tehran?

No

That was a pretty dumb question of mine eh, Still, they could have reestablished diplo relations and opened up again when I wasn't looking.

I am worried about my friends and students with family in Tehran. One of them was actually going to visit there in Sept. This can't be good for them,

Agreed. I have a very good Persian friend and she visits there quite often. Over the last two (2) years it has gotten really oppressive. The economy is basically collapsing.

Is there any way you can convince them to postpone the trip?

[caroljane]

As far as I know they were going after Labour Day. They were going to bring the mother to Canada for a visit on a tourist visa (he wants to persuade her to move here but she does not want to leave the rest of the family). He is a Cdn citizen, but Iran does not acknowledge dual nationality.

[caroljane]

My syrup jokes on Canadian Boring aside, there is really no apparent reason for the timing of this action. We can only infer that Baird and Harper know something we don't.

Harper is very close to Netanyahu and the hawkish faction of the US Republican party.

It's bad news for the 100,000 + Iranian Canadians and the thousands of Persian students at Canadian universities. They can't travel now or transfer money to relatives in a country where, as Adam said, the economy is collapsing. Not to mention the Canadians in prison there.

I can't find out anything about my ex-student friend and his family, just hope no news is good news.