Iranian Non-Diplomatic Assets Forfeit

Diplomatic relations suspended indefinitely, reflecting disgust, distaste, rejection of Iran for a multitude of reasons. Not the least of which has been its military support, with boots on the ground by its al Quds Force of the Iranian Republican Guard in Syria, aiding and abetting and indeed encouraging the Alawite Shia Baathist regime of Bashar al-Assad in its heinous reaction to its Sunni majority rebellion.

There are other reasons, and they are numerous, aside from the "Military dimension" of its nuclear program. "Anti-Semitic racist rhetoric", human rights abuses, its clear and obvious support for terrorists, and its failure to safeguard foreign embassies. "Canada views the government of Iran as the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today", announced Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird.

The website of Public Safety Canada states that the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps "provides arms, funding and paramilitary training to extremist groups, including the Taliban, Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command." Not activity that would commend the Islamic Republic of Iran to a peace-loving, liberal democratic nation that Canada represents.

And, so, therefore, the federal administrative decision was made to recognize those Iranian government assets held to be "non-diplomatic assets", to be frozen and set aside to benefit those individuals who have suffered grievously from the hostile, murderously-involved actions of the Iranian Republic. A list of Iranian assets has been identified by the government of Canada; millions worth of Iranian state assets within Canada.

Those assets range from real estate properties to bank accounts, now open for claims by victims of terrorist groups which have been sponsored by the Islamic Republic. Victims of violence suffering attacks by terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas may now collect damages from Iran through the medium of court action. Diplomatic assets remain protected under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, but bank accounts containing millions, a VISA account and cash frozen under United Nations sanctions are disposable.

The list also includes Iran's five diplomatic properties; its chancery, the ambassador's official residence and staff headquarters in Ottawa, and two embassy bank accounts, all protected. Parliament had last year enacted the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, following the example of the United States. Court action there had served to deplete the confiscated properties of Iran within the United States. Victims now turn to Canada to obtain recompense awarded them by courts hearing their cases.

Darren Calabrese/National Post     The Iranian Cultural Centre located at 290 Sheppard Avenue West in Toronto on Oct. 31, 2012.

"Anything that we can do to find Iranian assets and make those assets available to satisfy our clients' judgements helps us", said a Toronto lawyer representing the family of a U.S. citizen killed in a 2002 bombing at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. An American court found Hamas and Iran responsible for the terror attack in 2007, ordering Tehran to pay her parents and sister almost $13-million.

Canada closed its embassy in Tehran in September of 2012 when the government of Canada designated Iran a sponsor of terrorism. Diplomatic relations were suspended and Iran's diplomats expelled from Canada. Under the legislation passed last year nations designated as state sponsors of terrorism lose state immunity; both Iran and Syria were listed by Canada. Circumstances now permit Canadian victims of terror traced to both countries to collect damages.

Wayne Cuddington / Ottawa Citizen   The scene outside the Iranian Embassy at 245 Metcalfe St. in Ottawa on Friday. Canada has ordered all of Iran’s diplomats to leave the country and has closed the Canadian Embassy in Tehran.