World Immigration News

Canadian immigration agency blocks deportation of former Iranian official

Release Date: 2025-09-30
Media: Iran International
Summary: On August 12, 2025, Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) rejected a deportation request against Afshin Pirnoon, a former Iranian road maintenance director now working as an Uber driver. The board ruled he was not a “senior official” of the Iranian government and lacked significant influence over policymaking, meaning the legal criteria for removal were not met.

Canada barred entry and residency for senior Iranian officials in 2022 due to Tehran’s role in terrorism and human rights abuses, but the evidentiary threshold before the IRB remains high. Since then, 23 suspected officials have been identified, with 21 cases referred, but only three removal orders issued and just one enforced.

While some former officials, such as a science and technology director-general and a deputy interior minister, were ordered removed, the IRB has often found that job titles, ceremony attendance, or routine administrative work do not prove real influence. The case highlights the difficulty Canada faces in proving seniority despite emphasizing risks of transnational repression.
Tags: Canada

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