The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has accused a former official from the Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, currently residing in Toronto, of playing a “vital” role in helping finance Iran-backed terrorist groups in the Middle East and has initiated proceedings to deport him from Canada.
Global News reported on August 26 that Abbas Omidi, who served as a deputy director-general in Iran’s Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade before entering Canada in 2022, is among 37 senior Islamic Republic officials targeted under Canada’s measures against Iranian regime officials.
The CBSA report notes that Iran’s mining sector maintains close ties with military entities and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Due to his position and influence, Omidi directly contributed to the Iranian regime’s capacity to generate revenue from mineral resources to fund the military, arms production, and terrorist organizations.
The agency further stated that the IRGC relies significantly on mining revenues to support groups such as Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. According to the report, the IRGC provides up to $700 million annually to Hezbollah and roughly $100 million to Palestinian groups.
