Last Friday, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced that his government would be severing diplomatic relations with Iran. Canada’s embassy in Tehran has closed and its diplomats have left Iran while Iranian diplomats have been expelled.
Interestingly, Baird made his announcement while in Russia.
For its part, Iran has called the Conservative government of Stephen Harper “extremist”. I hope the Harper government takes such derision as a badge of honor.
Predictably, the diplomatic community has been critical of Canada for its stand. That’s not surprising because diplomats prefer to talk even if there is nothing to say. Diplomats also prefer fine dining.
But Iran is a pariah nation. It should be shunned like one. Instead, we are treated to the sight of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon going to Iran to attend a conference of the Non-Aligned Movement. That Ban criticized Iran for its desire to destroy Israel and insistence that the Holocaust never happened doesn’t matter. He could have just as easily done so outside of Iran. You don’t isolate Iran by visiting it.
The international community has engaged Iran to no avail. Someone had to take a stand and bravo to Canada for stepping up to the plate.