A Canadian citizen was killed in Iran “at the hands of the Iranian authorities,” Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said as the protests against the Iranian regime continue to intensify along with Tehran’s crackdown.
“I have just learned that a Canadian citizen has died in Iran at the hands of the Iranian authorities. Our consular officials are in contact with the victim’s family in Canada and my deepest condolences are with them at this time,” Anand said in a social media post.
“Global Affairs Canada is aware of a Canadian citizen who died in Iran. We express our condolences to the family and loved ones during this difficult time,” a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada told Global News.
Anand said “peaceful protests” in Iran have “led the regime to flagrantly disregard human life.
“This violence must end. Canada condemns and calls for an immediate end to the Iranian regime’s violence,” she added.
Citing “privacy concerns,” GAC said no further information about the death of the Canadian citizen could be disclosed.
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As of Wednesday, there were 3,054 Canadian citizens and permanent residents registered in Iran, the spokesperson said. However, they added that since registration with GAC is voluntary, the actual number may be outdated.
Demonstrations against the Iranian regime have spread throughout the nation, with the government responding with a brutal crackdown.
The number of dead climbed to at least 2,003 on Tuesday, as reported by the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. That figure dwarfs the death toll from any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The activist group said 1,850 of the dead were protesters and 135 were government-affiliated. Nine children were killed, along with nine civilians it said were not taking part in protests. More than 16,700 people have been detained, the group said.
“Canada strongly condemns the horrific killing of protesters in Iran. We have repeatedly called on the Iranian authorities to stop the persecution of its own population, and end repressive tactics including violence, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation,” GAC said in its statement.
Ottawa is asking Canadians in Iran to “leave now if they can do so safely.”
There is no Canadian embassy in Iran and Canada’s ability to provide consular services in Iran is extremely limited, the spokesperson said. Consular responsibility for Iran is managed by the Embassy of Canada to Turkey in Ankara.
While many airlines have suspended flights to and from Iran, land crossings to both Turkey and Armenia remain open. Anyone with a Canadian passport does not need a visa to enter those countries, GAC said.
Canadians can also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, GAC said.
–with files from Associated Press
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