A high-ranking official in Iranian soccer has stated that he has been in communication with relevant authorities following the confirmation by Canada’s immigration minister that travel documents for a former commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps were revoked to attend a FIFA meeting in Vancouver.
This incident, which has sparked inquiries from members of the Conservative party, mirrors a previous situation in 2022 when Canadian officials deliberated on a special exemption for Iran’s soccer team to travel to Vancouver for a match against Canada, which was ultimately canceled due to public outcry.
The recent controversy involves Mehdi Taj, the president of the Iranian Football Federation and a former intelligence commander with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which was designated as a terrorist entity by Canada in 2024.
Taj, accompanied by a small delegation of Iranian soccer officials, was denied entry after arriving at Toronto’s Pearson Airport on Tuesday. Hamed Momeni, the deputy secretary-general of Iran’s Football Federation, mentioned that he is investigating the situation and coordinating with relevant authorities, without specifying which ones.
In a statement to CBC News, Momeni, who reportedly traveled with Taj to the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, explained that the group was issued visas to enter Canada but faced questioning by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) regarding Taj’s affiliation with the IRGC upon arrival in Toronto.
A video shared by the West Asia News Agency showed Taj asserting that although CBSA eventually permitted their entry, the delegation opted to return to Iran due to the conduct of Canadian immigration officials, refuting claims of deportation.
Subsequently, Immigration Minister Lena Diab confirmed that Canada revoked the travel documents for Taj while he was en route, clarifying that he did not have the authorization to enter Canada and had returned to his home country upon landing.
A video posted by Iran’s soccer federation on Telegram exhibited Taj descending an airport escalator, with the caption indicating his return from the recent trip to Canada.
The 2022 incident involving Iran’s soccer team’s proposed visit to Canada for an exhibition match also resurfaced, with internal emails revealing discussions among various Canadian government departments about granting special travel exemptions despite public opposition, leading to the cancellation of the game.
Immigration lawyer Joshua Slayen criticized the repeated approval of controversial applications like Taj’s entry, suggesting a failure to learn from past experiences. The Conservatives raised concerns over the government’s decision regarding Taj’s admission, questioning its judgment ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
Multiple government departments were contacted for comments on the Iranian delegation’s admission to Canada, with some denying involvement in the decision-making process. FIFA and Canada Soccer have yet to provide responses to inquiries made by CBC News regarding the matter.