Iran Designates Royal Canadian Navy as Terrorist Organization in Retaliatory Move Against Canada’s IRGC Blacklisting

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has officially designated the Royal Canadian Navy as a terrorist organization. The announcement, made on Tuesday, comes as a direct reciprocal response to Canada’s June 19, 2024, decision to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity.

According to a statement from Iran’s Foreign Ministry, the move is grounded in the principle of reciprocity and draws on Article 7 of a 2019 Iranian law originally enacted in response to the United States’ designation of the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization. The law extends reciprocal actions to any country that supports or follows the U.S. decision.

The ministry described Canada’s 2024 designation of the IRGC — which it emphasized is “one of the official pillars of Iran’s armed forces” — as an “illegal decision” that violates “fundamental principles of international law.”

Tehran accused Ottawa of pursuing a “hostile approach” toward Iran.”Within the framework of reciprocity, the Islamic Republic of Iran identifies and declares the Royal Canadian Navy as a terrorist organization,” the statement read.

Canada’s designation of the IRGC last June barred its members from entering the country, prohibited any dealings with the group or its individuals by Canadians, and allowed authorities to seize IRGC-linked assets. Ottawa justified the listing by citing the IRGC’s alleged involvement in terrorism, human rights abuses inside and outside Iran, and efforts to destabilize the international rules-based order.