General

Nazanin Afshin-Jam calls for closing of the Iranian embassy in Ottawa

Nazanin Afshin-Jam, human rights activist and wife of Defense Minister Peter McKay, has called for the closing of the Iranian embassy in Ottawa. She claims the embassy uses its events” to spread their own propaganda.”

She told the National Post: “They try to connect with the greater Canadian public and either confuse matters on what’s really taking place in Iran, try to befriend people in the Iranian-Canadian community and maybe even try to monitor them that way.”

Last month, Afshin-Jam joined others in protesting an event held at Carleton University to celebrate the teachings of Iran’s former ruler, Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini. Ms. Afshin-Jam claims she has received a number of death threats since moving to Canada from Iran in 1979. “Generally, I feel safe in this country, but more and more I feel unsafe,” said Ms. Afshin-Jam

Iran’s senior diplomat in Canada denies recruitment efforts toward ethnic Iranians to serve the interests of Tehran, but Iranian-Canadian activists worry that the embassy monitors and intimidates Iranian immigrants.

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