Canada has officially designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist” group and advised its nationals in Iran to leave the country.

The Canadian government made this announcement on Wednesday, stating that this action will aid Ottawa in combating terrorist financing.

“The decision to classify the IRGC under the Criminal Code listing regime sends a clear message that Canada will use every available tool to fight the IRGC’s terrorist activities, whether they act alone or in conjunction with other listed terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas,” the Canadian government said in a statement.

Tehran has not yet responded to the announcement.

For years, Canada’s opposition Conservative party has pressured Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ban the IRGC.

On Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc cited Iran’s dismal human rights record as a driving factor behind the move.

“The Iranian regime has consistently shown a blatant disregard for human rights, both domestically and internationally, and has exhibited a willingness to destabilize the international order,” LeBlanc stated.

“Designating the IRGC builds on Canada’s broader efforts to ensure there is accountability for Iran’s illegal actions and its support for terrorism.”

Foreign Minister Melanie Joly advised Canadians not to travel to Iran, citing an increased risk of “arbitrary detention”.

“For Canadians currently in Iran, it’s time to come back home. For those planning to travel to Iran, don’t go,” Joly declared during a press conference.

The designation requires Canadian financial institutions to freeze all IRGC assets and prohibits Canadians from engaging in financial transactions with the group.

The United States had already labeled the IRGC a “terrorist” organization in 2019.

The IRGC is an elite military force operating independently and reporting directly to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Relations between Iran and Canada have been strained for decades. Ottawa severed diplomatic ties with Tehran in 2012, citing Iran’s nuclear program and its support for the Syrian government under Bashar al-Assad.

Tensions further escalated in 2020 when Iran shot down a plane with numerous Canadian citizens and permanent residents on board.

The Ukraine International Airlines flight was en route to Kyiv when it was struck by two missiles shortly after departing from Tehran on January 8, 2020.

The missile strike occurred during a period of heightened tensions between Iran and the US, following the IRGC’s attack on US forces in Iraq in retaliation for the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike in Baghdad.

Iranian officials later claimed the downing of the Boeing 737 was an accident caused by human error in the operation of an air defense system.

Last year, an Iranian court handed down preliminary sentences for 10 unnamed individuals implicated in the incident, including the defense system operator.

Iran has also set the compensation at $150,000 for each victim’s family and stated it began the payments last year.

However, in a case at the International Court of Justice, Canada charged Iran with failing “to conduct an impartial, transparent, and fair criminal investigation and prosecution consistent with international law”.

The designation of the IRGC comes amidst ongoing questions about Canada’s own commitment to human rights, particularly regarding its close relationship with Israel, which has faced accusations of widespread human rights abuses in Gaza.