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"Based on an assessment of the relevant facts recently brought
to my attention, I have exercised my authority under s. 22.1 of
the IRPA to prevent Mr. Seyed Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi from
becoming a temporary resident of Canada for the maximum period
of 36 months," Miller said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Section 22 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act gives
the Canadian immigration minister the authority to deny
temporary residency to a foreign national for up to three years.
"The decision itself, as communicated to the individual, is tied
to Iran's disregard for human rights," Miller added, without
disclosing Hashemi's location, whether he had sought residency,
or how the information was conveyed.
Hashemi served as the minister of health for the Iranian
government from 2013 to 2019 under former President Hassan
Rouhani. He was widely seen as the key official behind a 2014
launch of a plan for universal medical insurance.
Iran International, a U.S.-based news outlet focused on the
Iranian diaspora, reported earlier in August that Hashemi was
spotted in Montreal. It cited screenshots from a promotional
video for the Quebec province's tourism industry. Reuters could
not independently verify the presence of Hashemi in Montreal.
Canada cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2012 and listed the
country as a supporter of extremism. It also recently imposed
sanctions on Iran over alleged human rights abuses and the
killing of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died in the custody of
Iran's morality police that enforced strict dress codes.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by
Christopher Cushing)
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