Canada Denies Entry to Iranian Officials for FIFA Congress Due to IRGC Links
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand confirmed that Iranian soccer officials were denied entry into Canada ahead of the FIFA Congress meeting in Vancouver. The denial was reportedly unintentional, according to Anand, who referenced a report from Tasnim, an Iranian news agency. The Iranian Football Federation president, Mehdi Taj, and two other officials were denied entry at Toronto's Pearson Airport due to their connections with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is listed as a terrorist entity in Canada. Immigration Minister Lena Diab's office stated that all visa applications are reviewed individually, and IRGC officials are deemed inadmissible to Canada. The FIFA Congress is a significant event leading up to the World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. 
