By SUNTV Global Channel | December 30, 2025
Fresh diplomatic tension has erupted between Iran and Canada after Tehran officially designated the Royal Canadian Navy as a terrorist organisation, a move it says is in direct retaliation for Ottawa’s earlier action against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
In a statement released on Tuesday, Iran’s foreign ministry announced the designation, describing it as a reciprocal response to Canada’s June 2024 decision to blacklist the IRGC. Tehran accused Ottawa of acting “contrary to the fundamental principles of international law” by placing the powerful Iranian military force on its list of terrorist entities.
“Within the framework of reciprocity, the Islamic Republic of Iran identifies and declares the Royal Canadian Navy as a terrorist organization,” the statement said, without detailing any specific measures or consequences that would follow the declaration.
Canada formally designated the IRGC as a terrorist organisation on June 19, 2024. The move bars members of the Guards from entering Canada, criminalises any form of support or dealings with the group, and allows for the seizure of IRGC-linked assets within Canadian territory.
Ottawa justified the decision by accusing the IRGC of persistent human rights abuses inside Iran and of destabilising activities beyond its borders. Canadian authorities also cited the Guards’ alleged role in undermining the international rules-based order.
The designation followed years of pressure from opposition lawmakers and intensified in the wake of regional tensions. Calls for action grew louder after Iran launched hundreds of missiles toward Israel in April 2024. In May of that year, Canada’s House of Commons unanimously adopted a report urging the government to formally list the IRGC as a terrorist group.
The downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in January 2020 also weighed heavily on the decision. All 176 people on board were killed, including 85 Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The IRGC later admitted responsibility, saying the aircraft was mistakenly identified as a hostile target shortly after takeoff from Tehran.
Canada cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2012, branding the country “the most significant threat to global peace.” The United States designated the IRGC a foreign terrorist organisation in 2019, while Australia took a similar step last month, accusing the force of involvement in hostile activities affecting Australian interests.
With Tehran’s latest move targeting the Royal Canadian Navy, analysts warn the standoff could further strain already-frozen relations between the two countries, deepening divisions at a time of heightened global geopolitical tension.
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