OTTAWA — The head of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, was sent back from Canada hours after arriving Tuesday night, after reporting from Iran International revealed his ties with a prescribed terrorist organization. Taj previously served as an intelligence commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and had been expected to attend the FIFA Congress in Vancouver later this week. The IRGC has been listed as a terrorist organization in Canada since 2024. However, a government source told Iran International he departed Canada at 10:05 p.m. after being questioned by authorities.His brief entry visit to Canada follows earlier reporting that Taj had been granted a Temporary Resident Permit, a mechanism that can allow otherwise inadmissible individuals to enter Canada under specific conditions.The development prompted political reaction in Ottawa, with Conservative senator Leo Housakos raising concerns in the Senate about how an individual with ties to a listed terrorist organization could be permitted entry.“Your government can’t seem to show the IRGC the door, but it can find a way to roll out the welcome mat,” Housakos said during questioning Tuesday, calling on the government to explain its enforcement of terrorism-related inadmissibility rules..Canada designated the IRGC as a terrorist entity in 2024, a move that can affect the admissibility of individuals linked to the organization and allows authorities to freeze assets.Deputy Conservative leader Melissa Lantsman weighed in on social media, writing: “Good riddance. He didn’t just get on a plane and come here to be sent back. Did the Liberal government issue him a permit? Yes or no?”
