Mehdi Taj, president of the IRGC-linked Iran Football Federation, was sent back from Canada just hours after arriving at the FIFA congress this week in a case that has reignited scrutiny of Ottawa’s tough stance on figures linked to the Iranian regime.
Taj, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), landed in Canada but flew out at 10:05 p.m. on Tuesday along with two accompanying persons after being questioned by authorities, according to Iran International. The 66-year-old was due to attend the FIFA Congress at the Vancouver Convention Center on Thursday (April 30), where Iranian-Canadian groups planned to demonstrate against his presence.
Taj’s brief stay came despite Iranian government sources saying he had been granted a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP), a special authorization that can override inadmissibility under Canadian immigration law and would allow him to attend the FIFA Congress in Vancouver ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Taj’s expected participation has drawn opposition from lawmakers and Iranian diaspora groups, particularly since Canada designated the IRGC a terrorist organization in 2024, a move that allows authorities to freeze assets and restrict entry to individuals associated with the group.
Canada has also classified senior Iranian regime officials as inadmissible under immigration laws linked to terrorism and human rights concerns.
Canadian Senator Leo Housakos questioned how Taj was allowed to enter despite Ottawa’s terrorism-related restrictions.
“Your government can’t seem to show the IRGC the door, but it can find a way to roll out the welcome mat and take it in. Leaders, why is your government still unable or unwilling to enforce Canada’s terrorism-related inadmissibility rules? What’s the point of listing the IRGC if you’re not serious about kicking it out of our country,” Housakos said.
Canadian immigration authorities later reiterated their position, saying IRGC-linked officials were not welcome in the country, Iran International reported.
“The government has been clear and consistent: IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada and have no place in our country,” the officials said, declining to discuss Taj’s specific case due to privacy rules.
Taj began his career as an intelligence chief in the IRGC in Isfahan after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, before rising through the ranks of Iran’s football administration. His sudden departure has raised new questions about how he was initially granted permission to enter Canada despite long-standing restrictions on people associated with the Iranian regime.
The controversy unfolded against a backdrop of heightened tensions over the two-month-old war, now on hold, involving Iran, Israel and the US, and instability around the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a vital global shipping route that has faced repeated disruptions to shipping lanes during the ongoing conflict.
Canada has condemned Iran’s military actions and support for proxy groups, while pushing for diplomatic de-escalation to prevent wider regional spillovers. It maintains some of the toughest Western measures against Tehran, including sanctions targeting Iranian officials and companies linked to drone production, arms transfers and regional destabilization.
Ottawa has repeatedly said it supports preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, advocating diplomacy and coordinated international pressure rather than direct military involvement.
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Issued by:
Prateek Chakraborty
Published on:
29 Apr 2026 22:46 IST
