Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said Canada should support replacing Iran’s current government and called for the removal of individuals linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard from the country.Speaking at a press conference Monday, Poilievre described Iran’s leadership as a “terrorist regime” and said Conservatives support efforts that would lead to a democratically elected government in the country.“We support replacing that terrorist regime with a democratically elected and peaceful regime,” he said.Poilievre also accused the current Canadian government of sending mixed messages about the conflict in the Middle East, saying its public statements on military actions in the region have changed several times.During the press conference, he said Canada must also focus on domestic security in response to tensions linked to the conflict abroad.The Conservative leader claimed hundreds of agents connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are operating in Canada and called for new measures to identify and remove them from the country.“We will be proposing plans to deport these terrorists, to kick them out of the country, to identify and expel them and keep our people safe,” Poilievre said..He also said additional immigration and border measures may be needed to prevent individuals connected to Iran’s government from entering Canada.Poilievre linked his comments to the 2020 downing of a civilian passenger plane by Iran’s military that killed many Canadians and residents.When asked whether Canada should participate in military actions abroad, Poilievre said he was not aware of any specific requests from allies for Canadian involvement.“If the Prime Minister has received such requests, he should share that information with Canadians so we can have a debate about what Canada should do,” he said.Poilievre said Canada should prioritize domestic security and economic stability while responding to international conflicts.The remarks come amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and continuing debate in Canada about sanctions, immigration screening and the designation of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization.
