Toppling the Iranian Regime

"[The Islamic Republic's] strategic patience [is wearing thin; Tehran is preparing to[] punish [them: the U.S., United Kingdom, Israel and Saudi Arabia for their role in fomenting protests in Iran]."

"[The U.K. would] pay [for harbouring journalists working for a Persian-language satellite channel based in London whom British police have warned that the IRGC] represents an imminent, credible and significant risk to their lives and those of their families]."

Esmaeil Khatib, Iranian Intelligence Minister

 

"[We warned back in 2006 that Iran represents a threat to] the entire free world [as it] is not only seeking nuclear weapons, it is also destabilizing Lebanon with its Hezbollah proxy, supporting Palestinian terrorist groups, fueling Shiite militancy in Iraq and urging that Israel be wiped off the map."

National Post editorial

 

"[The National Post, as an institution, has been sanctioned by the Iranian Foreign Ministry for its] anti-Iran approach."

"[The sanctions are being imposed on the newspaper and eight individuals] for supporting terrorism and the Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) terrorist group, inciting and encouraging terrorist acts and violence against the people of Iran, propagating false information about Iran and participation in the implementation and escalation of oppressive sanctions against the people of Iran."

"Obviously, the sanctions will not rule out the criminal prosecution of the individuals in competent courts of law due to their involvement in criminal actions."

National Post, 4 November 2022

In this photo taken by an individual not employed by the Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran, Iranians protests the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was detained by the morality police last month, in Tehran, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Photo by AP Photo/Middle East Images

The Conservative-led government of then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper closed off diplomatic relations with Iran in 2012. Cited were Iran's intrusions in Canada on the lives of Iranian-Canadians, an 8-month attack on the British embassy in Tehran giving notice that diplomats are in danger there. The fact that Iran was providing military aid to the Assad regime in the civil war in Syria, another; failing to comply with UN resolutions on its nuclear program, along with support of terrorist groups.
Also cited was Iran's routine threatening of Israel's existence, its racist antisemitic rhetoric and genocidal incitement. Official Canada spoke of Iran as "among the world's worst violators of human rights".

 

The Liberal, Trudeau government that followed stated its intention of restoring diplomatic relations with Iran. And in fact, negotiations between Canada and the Islamic Republic were taking place to achieve that end. Given more recent episodes in Iran's ongoing persecution of its people and its new role in providing Russia with killer drones in Ukraine, along with the stalemate between the IAEA over nuclear inspections and the continued stalling on a nuclear program that is close to achieving Tehran's purpose, capped by the murder by morality police of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman, resulting in widespread protests, diplomatic renewal is no longer on the horizon.

 

 The ongoing protests erupting in every city across the country have brought out the country's police forces making use of deadly force. Estimates vary widely, but according to the group Human Rights Activists in Iran the most recent figures are over 300 dead, although other sources place that figure much higher. Tens of thousands of Iranians have been arrested. A week ago the Iranian parliament voted in favour of the death penalty to teach them -- protesters -- "a good lesson". The possbility of mass executions cannot be entirely discounted should the regime feel itself endangered.

 

Mourners chanted anti-establishment slogans at the funerals of two protesters killed in Javanroud  Hengaw

 

In the past decade, an estimated 6,876 Iranians have been executed, among them 67 youth and 185 women. The execution of protesters for crimes against god and nation are in their nascent stages. The International Atomic Energy Agency has released a report noting the Islamic Republic has amassed some 62.3 kilograms of 60 percent enriched uranium, a mere step from weapons-grade. Last week an IRGC official laid claim to his country's having developed hypersonic missiles able to evade modern air-defence systems.

 

The current government of Canada has been derelict in dealing adequately with the threat that Iran poses to the international community. It remains hesitant to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, which it clearly is, and despite the fact that the Parliament of Canada voted in favour of doing just that. It would be humorous if it were not so diabolically serious that Iran accused Canadians it has targeted for sanctions of "facilitating and supporting terrorist acts". Threatening the seizure of the property in Iran of the eight Canadians sanctioned; of which there are precisely none.

 

Nor may they make use of Iran's banking system, or travel to the country. They are, needless to say, horribly disappointed. The people of Iran, out on the streets protesting courageously braving the assaults from the basij paramilitary and the riot squads and other policing agencies have seen expatriate Iranians living abroad coming out in droves to protest before Iranian embassies in foreign cities. They have seen people not of Iranian origin worldwide express solidarity with their struggle and protesting on their behalf to reawaken the world's conscience. 

 

What they need, desperately, to see is the regime of the Ayatollahs and the IRGC falter and fall. Leaving the population to recover its dignity and its hope for the future. A population that will be free to choose for itself whether it will remain a theocracy, whether it will continue to foment violence and terrorism at home and abroad, or will relax the restrictions imposed on them to be victims bound to a theological ideology that has been corrupted and anti-human in its sweep of human rights violations.

 

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Group B - England v Iran - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - November 21, 2022 Iran players line up before the match REUTERS/Hannah Mckay