A deportation hearing got underway in Toronto on Monday for an alleged senior member of Iran’s repressive regime who has been living in Canada.
Abbas Omidi served in a high-ranking government position in Iran before arriving in Canada in 2022, according to allegations made at the hearing.
The Canada Border Services Agency said he spent 27 years working for the Iranian public service, and was deputy director general in the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade.
As a “senior official” in the Iranian government, the 55-year-old Ontario resident is not allowed to remain in Canada, the immigration enforcement agency said.
The hearing before the Immigration and Refugee Board will decide whether Omidi will receive a deportation order.
Omidi is one of 32 suspected past and present high-level officials of the Iranian government identified during an immigration crackdown.
The CBSA alleges they are not permitted to remain in the country because of a 2022 policy that bars them due to their government’s abuses.
Monday’s hearing began with questions about his employment history.
Forms he submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said he had worked for the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization, which is sanctioned in the United States.
Omidi denied working there and said the organization appeared on his forms because of an error by Google Translate, but said he worked for the mining ministry.
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As the hearing continued on Tuesday, Omidi acknowledged he had served as a deputy director general but downplayed his importance, insisting his role was mostly technical.
The CBSA, however, said that in an earlier interview with the agency he had described himself as an irreplaceable “one of a kind” official within the ministry.
The proceedings were scheduled to continue on March 30.
Omidi’s hearing is the first held in public since pro-regime forces killed thousands of demonstrators taking part in nationwide protests against the government in January.
A war launched by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28 is also now in its third week, and has brought renewed attention to Iran’s cleric-controlled government.
Iran has responded to the attacks by firing missiles and drones at its Middle East neighbours and attempting to choke off oil and gas shipments passing its coastline.
Global News first reported on Omidi’s deportation case last month but at his hearing on Feb. 4, the Immigration and Refugee Board banned reporters from observing.
The Board did so after Omidi asked to have his deportation conducted behind closed doors. He then asked to ban the press from reporting his name or his lawyer’s name.
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But Global News fought the extraordinary restrictions, and the Refugee Board ruled on March 10 that the matter would proceed in public.
“For all Canadians, I find that transparency regarding the type of allegation Mr. Omidi is facing is an important safeguard that enables accountability, deters impunity, and reinforces public confidence in Canadian legal processes and institutions,” the Board wrote.
“In this context, hiding Mr. Omidi’s identity would have a strong deleterious/negative effect on the public’s interest in the open court process.”
The Refugee Board also said there was no credible evidence that Omidi or his family would be at risk as a result of a customary open hearing.
Ottawa announced more than three years ago that senior Iranian officials and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members were not allowed in Canada.
The policy was a response to the killing of Mahsa Amini, who died while in state custody after Iran’s religious police arrested her for showing her hair in public.
Her killing sparked a women’s rights movement that was violently quashed by the theocratic regime of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Khamenei was killed in an airstrike at the outset of the Iran war, but has now been replaced by his son Mojtaba, signalling the regime has no intention of reforming.
But while border officers have identified more than two dozen Iranians living in Canada whom they believe are senior regime members, removing them has proven challenging.
The IRB has allowed five of the alleged officials to stay in Canada, while only one has been deported so far, although several have also left voluntarily.
Others are still in the queue for hearings. Only five of the cases have been held in public, including Omidi’s. Global News appealed to open them.
Stewart.Bell@globalnews.ca
Canada is a cowardly nation..it lets the worst war criminals in, it doesn’t care, it believes anything it is told..gullible and cowardly and corrupt.
The photo you used with the woman crying carrying the pre-79 flag is very misleading, it’s like you’re intentionally trying to convey a different narrative. Iranian people are very much against the regime in Iran and the evil IRGC members, including those living freely in Canada. This lady on the photo is sad about what the regime in Iran does to its people (such as killing over 30k protesters in January). Iranian people are celebrating the end of the dictatorship and we are very much celebrating their downfall and the actions taken to remove these evil dictators occupying Iran do the last 47 years.
It seems to me that these people should not be here in the first place.Why is there any question about this.These people are crafty and dangerous and instilled teachings like theirs have no place here.
Although most Iranians are highly intelligent people and played a large part in western development, the religious fanatics have somehow taken control of a great race and culture and need to be stopped.
This article is clearly “Pro” Western propaganda content, Do not the Journalists have any respect to their profession in Main Street Media.
Then he’ll appeal it. It’ll take 2 years. This country is useless.
Im confused at ” the hearing” ? Gather them all up and send them to the US to figure out how best to maximize their value if any…. get them out along with their families & extended families TODAY
Until the Liberal government is removed , Irgc will remain in Canada
The Liberals will let anyone into the country.
Get them all out of Canada.
They’re all garbage. GET OUT!
Why only now?
Remove Islamic terrorists from Canada! Enough is Enough !
They need to go. Canada needs to stand firm on this issue.
Remove him from Canada! Enough already!
Alleged? Carney during this weekend gave an IRGC Mullah entry to Canada and also gave him a Canadian passport! What did the Mullah? Attended a gate-filled mob in Toronto!
The Liberals know who these sub humans are they let them in.. Now go round them up and get them out of Canada. When will they stop the madness with their corrupt policies. Canadians are tired of these people coming to Canada with their home grown crime.
Enough already. It is about time that our Government start to do a Deep Spring cleaning, and be more selective and restrictive when selecting people to enter into our Country.
Why is there even a hearing ship them all back
One way or another, he’ll stay here for years, if not decades…all on the taxpayers’ dime.
I am sure someone is working hard to keep them here
Canada hasn’t taken threats to the country seriously in a long time
At Parker: they are cheering his death, protesting the current regime and wanting the regime to the old flag and country.
The news item showing people demonstrating their anger for the killing of Khamenei , has the WRONG FLAG . THIS FLAG IS NOT OF THE PRESENT REGIME . THIS FLAG REPRESENTS THE PRE REVOLUTION OF 1978
Anyone that supports ped0 Trump in Canada should be dep0rted to the USA
Why is he still here? Get this MF out and move on to the next one, we have a lot to get through.
Diversity is our strength ! Keep him maybe he’ll be really really nice and open a shwarna/ bomb centre
Boot him out before Carney cuts him a cheque for $ 10 million.