Ottawa cites the IRGC's ties to Hamas and Hezbollah, accusing Iran of “complete disregard for human rights.”
Canada has listed Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist” entity and urged its citizens in Iran to leave.
The Canadian government made the announcement Wednesday, saying the move will help Ottawa “fight the financing of terrorism.”
“The decision to list the IRGC through the Criminal Code listing regime sends a strong message that Canada will use all the tools at its disposal to combat IRGC terrorist activity, carried out both unilaterally and in knowing association with terrorist entities. included on the list, such as Hezbollah and Hamas,” the Canadian government said in a statement.
There was no immediate comment from Tehran.
For years, opposition Conservatives in Canada have urged Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to blacklist the IRGC.
On Wednesday, Dominic LeBlanc, Canada's public safety minister, cited Iran's human rights record as one of the reasons behind the decision.
“The Iranian regime has consistently shown a complete disregard for human rights, both inside and outside Iran, as well as a willingness to destabilize the rules-based international order,” LeBlanc said in a statement.
“The inclusion of the IRGC builds on the Government of Canada's broader efforts to ensure there is no impunity for Iran's illegal actions and its support for terrorism.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly urged Canadians not to travel to Iran, citing an increased risk of “arbitrary detention.”
“For those who are in Iran right now, it is time to return home. For those who plan to go to Iran, don't go,” he said at a news conference.
The list requires Canadian financial institutions to freeze any IRGC assets and prohibits Canadian citizens from conducting financial transactions with the group.
The United States designated the IRGC as a “terrorist” group in 2019.
The IRGC, an elite force that operates with some autonomy and answers directly to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, is an official branch of the Iranian military.
Relations between Iran and Canada have been difficult for decades. Ottawa cut diplomatic ties with Tehran in 2012, citing its nuclear program and support for the embattled Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad.
The relationship soured further in 2020 after Iran shot down a plane with dozens of Canadian citizens and permanent residents on board.
The Ukraine International Airlines flight was headed to kyiv when it was hit by two missiles shortly after taking off from Tehran on January 8, 2020.
The missile attack came at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the United States. Hours earlier, the IRGC had attacked US forces in Iraq after the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad.
Iranian officials have said the downing of the Boeing 737 was an accident caused by human error operating an air defense system.
Last year, an Iranian court handed down initial sentences to 10 unidentified people accused of playing a role in the incident. Among them was the defense system operator.
Iran has also set $150,000 compensation for each of the victims' families, and said last year it had begun making payments.
But in a case before the International Court of Justice, Canada accused Iran of failing to “carry out an impartial, transparent and fair criminal investigation and prosecution consistent with international law.”
The inclusion of the IRGC comes as the Canadian government faces questions about its own commitment to human rights related to its close ties to Israel, which has been accused of rampant abuses in Gaza.
