Official calls seizure of Iran’s assets in Canada ‘economic terrorism’

Spokesman for Iran’s Guardian Council Abbasali Kadkhodaei condemned a recent move by Canada to sell $30 million worth of Iranian assets as “a blatant example of economic terrorism”.

According to Tasnim news agency, Kadkhodaei said on his Twitter account on Saturday evening “Economic terrorism is a method in which Western governments seize or confiscate other nations’ economic sources and interests through misusing legal tools without fair legal procedures.”  

“Canada’s seizure of Iranian state properties is a blatant example of state economic terrorism,” he added in his tweet.

“Canada’s action is contrary to generally recognized principles of international law, including the principle of sovereignty,” the spokesman stated.

He further called on the Iranian Judiciary to take a countermeasure against the Canadian government.

The comments came after a report by Global News said Canada has gifted some $30 million worth of Iranian assets to the victims of terrorist attacks in which Iran says has not been involved.

According to a document filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice revealed in August, the victims have received their share of the money earned through the sale of two Iranian-owned buildings in Ottawa and Toronto.

The valuable Ottawa property, sold for $26.5 million, was used as the Iranian Cultural Center, and the Toronto building, sold for $1.85 million, served as the Center for Iranian Studies, the Global News reported.

In addition to the $28 million earned from the sale of the two properties, the victims were also awarded a share of some $2.6 million seized from Iran’s bank accounts. Documents also list a Toyota Camry and Mazda MPV.

In particular, they include the family of Marla Bennett, a US citizen killed in a 2002 bombing that rocked the Hebrew University in al-Quds.

The attacks are mostly blamed on Palestinian and Lebanese resistance movements Hamas and Hezbollah. The families claimed that the Iranian government supported the two organizations and was therefore responsible for their actions.

Iran has denied any role in the attacks which the courts have based their cases to appropriate the country's frozen assets.

ME