Canada Revokes Visas of 239 Individuals Linked to the Iranian Government

Iran Wire -Aug 13th2026

The Canadian government has revoked at least 239 temporary resident visas held by individuals tied to senior officials of the Islamic Republic and affiliated state institutions.

According to official statistics released by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), approximately 17,800 visa applications have been evaluated to assess potential ties between applicants and the Iranian regime.

The Canadian government’s measures specifically target senior Islamic Republic officials and individuals affiliated with military and security bodies, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Individuals found to fall under these restrictions face potential visa rejections, revocations, status cancellations, and deportation from Canada.

In November 2022, Ottawa designated the Iranian regime as a government engaged in “terrorism and systemic, gross human rights violations,” barring senior officials from entering Canada. The policy initially targeted individuals who held senior government positions from November 2019 onward.

In September 2024, Canada broadened the scope of the ban to encompass senior officials who served in government capacities dating back to June 23, 2003, the date coinciding with the arrest of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi in Tehran, who subsequently died under torture in custody.

Furthermore, Canada officially listed the IRGC as a terrorist organization in June 2024. Following this designation, cases involving more than 100 officials and affiliates residing in Canada were placed under review, while hundreds of other applicants were turned away during the initial visa screening phase.

Among high-profile cases made public, Majid Iranmanesh, former Director General at the Ministry of Science, and Seyed Salman Samani, former Deputy Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, received deportation orders from Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). However, the execution of these orders has not yet been confirmed, with Samani filing an appeal in Canadian Federal Court to halt his deportation.

Elham Zandi, another individual accused of ties to the regime, voluntarily departed Canada. Conversely, the IRB declined to issue a deportation order against Afshin Pirnoon, former Director General at the Ministry of Roads.

CBSA statistics indicate that 95 cases remain under active investigation, with 20 cases referred to the IRB. Since the restrictions were implemented, only one former Islamic Republic official has been deported from Canada, and the individual’s identity remains undisclosed.

Canadian officials maintained that all cases are evaluated individually. A history of mandatory military conscription within the IRGC does not trigger an automatic visa refusal or deportation; individual responsibilities, rank, and specific duties are taken into consideration during final determinations.

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