Carney insists IRGC members are kept out of Canada after Iranian official turned away

Prime Minister Mark Carney assured that ‘effective’ measures are in place with denying entry of Iran’s revolutionary guard members into Canada.

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney insists his government is doing an effective job of keeping Iranians associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps out of the country after one former IRGC official was granted a visa.

When asked today about Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj being denied entry to Canada earlier this week, Carney said he can’t talk about individual cases due to privacy legislation.

Online news outlet Iran International reported Monday that Taj was granted a temporary resident visa that allowed him to enter Canada, despite his ties to the IRGC, which is a listed terrorist entity in Canada.

The Canadian government designated the IRGC as a terrorist entity in June 2024 and declared the Iranian regime a state sponsor of terror in November 2022.

Carney said no IRGC members have entered Canada since the designation was made and Canada Border Services Agency data shows one person has been removed.

The Conservatives are calling for more answers on how Taj was able to get all the way to Toronto before being turned away, and are calling it a massive security breach.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2026.

David Baxter, The Canadian Press