Posted on 12/20/2011 3:55:54 AM PST by nuconvert
VANCOUVER — Iran wants to open a consulate in Vancouver to serve the city’s Iranian-Canadian population, who under some circumstances must go to Ottawa to get consular services, but a federal government policy prohibits it.
Many Iranians have business interests or family members in Iran, Kambiz Sheikh-Hassani, Charge d’Affairs of Iran’s Ottawa embassy said in a statement.
Because that country’s law does not recognize dual citizenship, they must use Iranian travel documents to enter the country.
The only place in Canada where these documents can be obtained is through Iran’s embassy in Ottawa. This means Iranian-Canadians living outside of Ottawa must put valuable documents such as birth certificates and passports in the mail, Sheikh-Hassani said.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.nationalpost.com ...
thanks nuconvert.
Boo-hoo!
After 1979, I’m surprised Iran even has an embassy in Canada.
Why not? They didn’t storm the Canadian Embassy. How soon most forget about the socialist bent and policies of Canada before the current realignment. Now Canada is just stuck with that one embassy that will diplomatically only change when the Canadian Embassy is finally attacked in any country aligned with the current Iranian regime.
I like Canada’s approach. Now if both Canada and the U.S. would adopt the Priminister of Australia’s approach, North America would REALLY make some progress.
Forget about Mexico, it’s a lost cause..........
There was that small incident you may have overlooked, where the Canadian Embassy in Iran hid Americans and provided fake Canadian passports to them to escape the country. Google Embassador Ken Taylor...
... speaking of ‘How soon most forget.’ But then, I suppose you can’t forget what you don’t know to begin with.
God Bless Canada and the Canadian people who have been our staunchest friends and allies.
"Cora Amburn-Lijek, Mark Lijek, Joseph and Kathleen Stafford and Robert Anders were five of the six diplomats who were harbored and "exfiltrated" from Teheran in 1980... saw the huge crowd before them, Robert Anders asked the others if they would like to come home with him as he lived nearby. That began a 5 day odyssey as they went from house to house aided by the Thai cook Sam.
Finally out of money and with no place to stay, Robert contacted his old friend Canadian Immigration officer John Sheardown, his tennis buddy, and on November the 10th they went to the house of John and Zina Sheardown. John was outside watering the sidewalk with his garage door open so the car carrying the Americans could drive in with no one aware of the arrival of the new house guests. Later in the day, Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor arrived and took the Staffords to his residence where his wife Pat was waiting. The other three stayed with the Sheardowns and two weeks later, a sixth, Lee Schatz from the US Agriculture Department, joined the group.He had spent the interim sleeping on the floor at the Swedish embassy. They would remain there for 79 days.
The operation itself was initiated at great personal risk by then Canadian ambassador to Iran, Ken Taylor, and Canadian Immigration officer John Sheardown who provided sanctuary in their own private residences for the six endangered American diplomats. Two “friendly-country” embassy officials assisted as well, and an unoccupied diplomatic residence was used for several weeks.
Ambassador Taylor contacted then Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs, Flora MacDonald and Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark for assistance, who expressed support for the effort. They decided to smuggle the six Americans out of Iran on an international flight using Canadian passports. To do so, Canada's Parliament convened its first secret session since World War II to grant permission for an Order in Council to be made for the issuance of Canadian passports to the American diplomats in Canadian sanctuary. The granted passports containing a set of forged Iranian visas prepared by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency that would be used to attempt an escape from Iran.
The CIA enlisted its disguise and exfiltration expert, Tony Mendez, to provide a cover story, documents, and appropriate clothing and materials to change their appearance. Mendez worked closely with Canadian government staff in Ottawa, sending as much as he could in the diplomatic pouch, before flying to Tehran with an associate to assist with the rescue. There were alternate passports and identities for a variety of scenarios, but the cover story selected had the six being a Hollywood crew scouting movie locations. The elaborate back-story involved a film named Argo, for a Middle-Eastern feel, and a post office box in Los Angeles for “Studio Six”, backed by display ads. (The movie scenario was considered one way to get an armed team into Tehran to retake the embassy.)
As the weeks passed, the Americans read and played games, mainly Scrabble, while Taylor made efforts both to fly out non-essential personnel, while sending others on fake errands to both establish erratic patterns and case airport procedures. The tension rose as suspicious telephone calls and other activity indicated the possibility that the concealment was known. Taylor sketched out the escape plan himself using a felt-tip marker.
On January 27, 1980, the American diplomats, now travelling on Canadian passports, boarded a flight for Zürich, Switzerland, at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport. They arrived in the friendly nation safely. The Canadian embassy was then closed that day, with Ken Taylor and remaining staff returning to Canada.
The six rescued American diplomats:
Robert Anders, 34 - Consular Officer
Mark J. Lijek, 29 - Consular Officer
Cora A. Lijek, 25 - Consular Assistant
Henry L. Schatz, 31 - Agriculture Attaché
Joseph D. Stafford, 29 - Consular Officer
Kathleen F. Stafford, 28 - Consular Assistant
Officially, the U.S. had maintained for negotiation purposes that all of its missing diplomats were held hostage, so the rescue came as a complete surprise to the public. American gratitude for the Canadian rescue effort was displayed widely and by numerous American television personalities and ordinary people alike, with Ambassador Taylor a particular focus of attention. The Canadian flag was flown across the U.S., along with "Thank You" billboards."
So that's how the Canadian embassy in Iran was closed in 1980. I was surprised that we had diplomatic relations with them today. I don't know when they were re-established. I do know that, unlike your present regime, PM Harper likes to tick off dictators whenever he can.
With your present regime, I don't think I would be throwing around the "socialist" tag too freely. The rest of your post is, basically, unintelligible.
By the way, you are welcome.
You are correct and you are welcome about the period and rescues. There were several other rescues as well, some even by clandestine American groups such as the one initiated by Ross Perot that resulted in a fascinating book “On Wings of Eagles”.
I was more referring to the time afterwards, especially in the 90’s when Canada made its hard left turn also from Wiki;
Canada and Iran did not retain normal relations from 1980 to 1988, though relations were not formally severed. The Canadian government was reluctant to reopen an embassy after the Iranian government had kidnapped and tortured protected diplomats.[1] It was only in 1988 that Canada and Iran agreed to resume diplomatic relations and the Canadian Embassy in Tehran was re-opened. It was only in 1996 that both nations formally exchanged ambassadors.
I have a personal focus on the country and what happened to it as I served there in the US Army shortly before the start of the insurgency that transpired into the revolution.
I have a feeling Canadian relations with Iran are going to sour very soon.
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