An Iranian semiofficial news agency is reporting that the country’s parliamentary speaker has cancelled a visit to Canada after Ottawa cut diplomatic relations with Tehran.
The Saturday report by Fars says Ali Larijani decided not to attend a meeting of parliamentarians from different countries scheduled for late October to protest to Canada’s decision to close its embassy in Tehran.
Canada shut its embassy in Tehran on Friday, severed diplomatic relations and ordered Iranian diplomats to leave, accusing the Islamic Republic of being the most significant threat to world peace. The surprise action reinforces the Conservative government’s close ties with Tehran’s arch foe Israel.
Iran called Canada’s decision “hasty and extreme” and said that it would soon respond, accusing Ottawa of having an anti-Iranian foreign policy.
