Iranian authorities have killed a Canadian citizen during one of the protests that have spread across the Islamic Republic, Ottawa said Thursday.
“I have just learned that a Canadian citizen has died in Iran at the hands of Iranian authorities,” Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand said on X, giving no further details.
“Peaceful protests by the Iranian people — asking that their voices be heard in the face of the Iranian regime’s repression and ongoing human rights violations — have led the regime to flagrantly disregard human life,” Anand added.
A Canadian foreign ministry official, speaking on background, told AFP that Ottawa understands the individual was killed by Iranian authorities during a protest.
In a separate statement, the foreign ministry said consular officials have been in touch with the individual’s family in Canada.
“Canada strongly condemns the horrific killing of protesters in Iran,” the statement said.
“Canadians in Iran should leave now if they can do so safely,” the statement added, addressing the estimated 3,000 Canadians thought to still be in the Islamic Republic.
bs/acb
