Canadian Immigration Minister Mark Miller announced on Monday that Canada will refuse to grant temporary residency to former Iranian Health Minister Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi, citing Tehran's record on human rights, following reports of Hashemi being spotted in Montreal. Miller stated in a post on X: "Based on an evaluation of facts that have drawn my attention recently, I exercised my authority under Section 22 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to prevent Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi from obtaining temporary residency in Canada for the maximum duration of 36 months."
Section 22 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act gives the Canadian immigration minister the power to deny temporary residency to any foreign national for up to three years. Miller added, "The decision itself, as we communicated to the man, is related to Iran's disregard for human rights." The minister did not disclose Hashemi's whereabouts, nor whether he had applied for residency or how he was informed of the decision.
Hashemi served as the Iranian Minister of Health from 2013 to 2019 during the presidency of Hassan Rouhani and was widely seen as the key figure behind the implementation of the universal health insurance plan in 2014. Iran International, a U.S.-based news channel focusing on Iranians in the diaspora, reported earlier this month that Hashemi was spotted in Montreal, citing footage from a promotional video for tourism in Quebec. Reuters was unable to independently verify Hashemi's presence in Montreal.
Canada severed diplomatic ties with Iran in 2012 and listed it as a state sponsor of extremism. Recently, it has imposed sanctions due to alleged human rights violations and the death of young woman Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police enforcing strict dress codes.
