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Canadian officials revealed on Monday that they had successfully intercepted a dangerous plot allegedly orchestrated by Iranian operatives aimed at assassinating Irwin Cotler, a former justice minister renowned for his outspoken criticism of the Tehran government. The news, disclosed by Cotler’s organization, points to a growing concern over the Iranian regime’s continued efforts to suppress dissent through violent means, even in foreign territories.
Irwin Cotler, now 84, held the esteemed positions of justice minister and attorney general between 2003 and 2006, contributing immensely to Canada’s legal framework during his time in office. While he chose to retire from politics in 2015, his passion for human rights advocacy has not waned. Cotler remains deeply engaged with several global organizations, tirelessly working to advance the cause of human dignity and justice across borders.
According to a report from The Globe and Mail, Irwin Cotler was alerted on October 26 to an imminent and credible threat against his life. Within a span of just 48 hours, Iranian agents were reportedly planning his assassination, a terrifying revelation that escalated concerns for his safety.
The paper further revealed that authorities had managed to trace two key suspects involved in the assassination scheme. Citing an anonymous source, The Globe and Mail disclosed that the investigation was actively pursuing leads on those behind the plot.
Through an email correspondence with AFP, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, where Cotler serves as the international chair, validated the report published by The Globe and Mail, officially confirming the alarming details surrounding the assassination plot.
Cotler “has no knowledge or details regarding any arrests made,” said Brandon Golfman, an organization spokesman.
Tehran late on Monday denied what it described as “the claim of Canadian media that Iran tried to assassinate a Canadian person,” the official IRNA news agency reported, citing Issa Kameli, the director general for the Americas at the foreign ministry.
The Iranian diplomat denounced the report as “ridiculous storytelling and in line with the misinformation campaign against Iran”.
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A spokesperson for Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc declined to comment, telling AFP: “We cannot comment on, nor confirm specific RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) operations due to security reasons.”
Another senior government minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne, called the plot “very concerning.”
Jean-Yves Duclos, the government’s senior minister in Quebec province, where Cotler lives, said it was likely “very difficult for (Cotler), in particular, and his family and friends to hear” about it.
The House of Commons, meanwhile, passed a unanimous motion praising Cotler’s work in defense of human rights and “condemning the death threats against him orchestrated by agents of a foreign regime.”
Irwin Cotler, a Jewish individual and a staunch supporter of Israel, has been a prominent advocate on the global stage for the designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, emphasizing the group’s threat to international security.
Since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas gunmen in Israel, Cotler had been granted police protection, which had been in place for over a year, as authorities worked to shield him from the escalating risks surrounding his high-profile stance.
