Canada closed its Tehran embassy on Friday and ordered Iranian diplomats be expelled, in a severance of ties in which it accused the Islamic Republic of being the biggest threat to world peace.
Mehmanparast, quoted by the ISNA news agency, retorted: "Canada's current government is an extremist government ... influenced by the Zionist regime (Israel), which takes measures to put pressure on the Iranian people and create problems for nationals of our country."
The spokesman added that Iran would give an "adequate reply" to Canada's decision, which was accompanied by a strongly worded attack on Tehran's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's pariah regime and Iran's "incitement to genocide" against Israel.
In announcing the action, Ottawa cited concerns for the safety of its staff at the diplomatic mission in Tehran and also attacked the failure of Iran's rulers to account for the nation's disputed nuclear program.
"Canada views the government of Iran as the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today," Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said in a statement.
"Diplomatic relations between Canada and Iran have been suspended. All Canadian diplomatic staff have left Iran, and Iranian diplomats in Ottawa have been instructed to leave within five days," he added.
Mehmanparast said Canada had in the past taken "illegal unilateral measures" including sanctions against Iran's central bank, the closing of Iranian nationals' bank accounts and the ending of consular services to Iranians.
Some 400,000 Iranians live in Canada, according to the authorities here.
COMMENTS (15)
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@Bill Bradley: are you an anglo white english
@It Is (still) Economy Stupid: PLEASE look up ZAHRA KAZEMI on Wikipedia to get your facts straight! Her body remains buried in Iran, and no postmortem was ever conducted in Canada!
@Tariq Mehmood: regardless of who was behind the decision,one should never use a mullah language.Iran's reaction seems uncivilized and undiplomatic and more like an angry mullahs outburst.
@Tariq Mehmood: You forgot to use the anti-semitic code word "Zionist". It is clear that when Iran means when talks about "wiping the Zionist entity off the face of the earth" what they actually mean is killing all the Jews.
There is a long history of bad blood between Iran and Canada. During the American Embassy hostage drama lot of American diplomats got out of Iran on Canadian passport. Few years ago a Canadian citizen of Iranian descent who was working as a journalist was arrested in Tehran and was found dead in police custody. She had torture marks on her body. Her body was flown to Canada for post mortem and burial. This also could be a sign that other western countries are about to follow this ahead of some attack on Iran.
LOL - I guess Israel is the only remaining super power -- according to Muslim thinking it controls the USA and now Canada. Maybe Canada cut off relations because it's tired of having it's diplomats threatened or having it's citizens abused by Iran --- no conspiracies needed.
@jism: but they reacted after the decision was taken. and if we say for a short while it was not due to Jewish influence then whose influence it is?
how can Iran is threat international peace ? i mean do they have history of intervention? or they backed up Al-qaeda and Taliban ?
is iran more dangerious than Israel ? who is contionusly violating the International & UN laws??
iranian statement Quite is justified .
Did canada break off her ties with USA during the intervention of afghanistan & iraq ??
Oh kay so Canada does have a governtment & foreign relations. Good !!!
Zionists rolling like a boss!
Severing won't change anything......
“under the influence of the Zionist regime.” if this is how they chose to react,then Canada was right in its decision.
After reading Iranian response, it is clear Canada did the right thing. Belligerent talk is not diplomacy and assertive talk in diplomacy is not the same as bellicose outburst.
Iran knows it is coming, so why talk cheaply. One day the diplomacy will be restored but cheap talk will still be remembered.
Antagonizing Canada only makes the route to US narrow.
You must not forget it Iranian leaders that Canada is US' neighbor and shall always act upon US' advices regarding relations with you to avoid any sanctions by USA.....