Tehran, September 16 (RHC)-- A senior member of the Iranian parliament has called for a decisive response to Canada's sale of Iranian properties in Ottawa and Toronto, saying Canadian shipments crossing the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf should be confiscated in response to the move.
"An order should be issued to confiscate ships and goods that set off from the Hormuz region to the destination of Canada," said Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, adding: "This measure should be adopted as soon as possible."
The comments came several days after Iranian Foreign Ministry warned Canada that the country should await consequences if it does not revoke a decision to sell Iranian properties worth tens of millions of dollars in an alleged bid to compensate so-called victims of terror.
In a statement, the ministry strongly condemned the move as "a clear breach of the international law,” and urged the Canadian government to immediately return the properties. And Tehran says Ottawa will be responsible for the consequences if it fails to return the Iranian assets it has sold.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said Tehran will take action by itself to restore its rights based on international regulations if Ottawa fails to immediately revoke the unlawful decision and compensate the damages.
Falahatpisheh, a senior member of Iranian parliament’s Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, said that courts in Iran should be authorized to seize Canadian government properties in Iran.
He said, however, that responding in kind to the ruling issued in August by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to sell the two Iranian-owned buildings would not suffice as Canada does not have enough assets in Iran that could be subject to a similar court verdict.
The lawmaker, who made the remarks in an interview with the parliament news service, said Iran had a duty to "decisively counter" the sale of the properties in Canada, a move which he said was clearly influenced by political lobbies who seek to “plunder” Iran’s wealth.
