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Canada has listed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, after years of pressure from opposition legislators and some members of the Iranian diaspora, BBC reports.
Announcing the decision on Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc called it a “significant tool in fighting global terrorism”.
The move will mean that thousands of senior Iranian government officials, including top IRGC officials, will be barred from entering Canada.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, quoted by Iran's Fars news agency, has condemned what he described as the "unwise and unconventional" step.
The IRGC is a major military, political and economic force in Iran, with close ties to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
It is estimated to have more than 190,000 active personnel with its own ground forces, navy and air force that oversee Iran’s strategic weapons.
The IRGC exerts influence elsewhere in the Middle East by providing money, weapons, technology, training and advice to allied governments and armed groups through its shadowy overseas operations arm, the Quds (Jerusalem) Force, according to the government.
The Quds Force was already listed as a terrorist group by Canada, but Wednesday’s announcement extends the designation to the entire IRGC.
After this designation, current and former senior Iranian government officials already in Canada may also now be investigated and removed.
bd-pratidin/GR
