US EditionImmigration minister says she's accountable after former IRGC official was granted permit for FIFA event
Lena Diab said the permit should not have been issued as officials face questions over how a former IRGC commander reached Canada for the FIFA Congress.
- On Tuesday, Canadian officials revoked the travel permit of Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj, denying him entry at Toronto Pearson Airport before the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver.
- Canada designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity in 2024, making senior officials like Taj inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
- Immigration Minister Lena Diab testified Thursday she was unaware of the approval, while deputy minister Ted Gallivan told committee, "this shouldn't happen again."
- The Liberals face mounting pressure to explain the screening failure ahead of summer FIFA events, prompting officials to prioritize procedural fixes for upcoming gatherings.
- With Iran among 48 nations qualified for the World Cup, the incident exposes entry-screening vulnerabilities, prompting parliamentarians to review protocols for more than 200 FIFA member associations.
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Immigration minister says she's accountable after former IRGC official granted a visa
OTTAWA — Immigration Minister Lena Diab says she's accountable after a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps official was granted a visa to visit Canada. But she says she didn't know about the decision made by her department.
Federal Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab was unable to explain the flaw in her ministry on Thursday. A former senior officer of an Iranian terrorist entity received a visa to enter Canada for a FIFA event.
Immigration minister says she's accountable after former IRGC official was granted permit for FIFA event
The Liberal government is under fire to explain how a senior Iranian soccer official with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — a listed terrorist group in Canada — was reportedly granted and then denied entry into the country ahead of a pre-FIFA World Cup gathering in Vancouver.
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