Iran labels Canadian Navy a terrorist entity in retaliation for IRGC ban
Tehran: Iran designated the Royal Canadian Navy as a terrorist organisation, escalating tensions with Ottawa nearly a year after Canada blacklisted Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Iranian foreign ministry, Tehran said the move was taken “within the framework of reciprocity” in response to Canada’s decision to label the IRGC as a terrorist group in 2024. The ministry described Ottawa’s action as being “contrary to the fundamental principles of international law,” and announced that the Canadian naval force would now be treated in the same manner. No details were provided on the practical consequences of the designation.
Canada formally listed the IRGC as a terrorist organisation on June 19, 2024, a step that barred its members from entering the country and prohibited Canadians from engaging in any dealings with the force or its affiliates. The decision also enabled authorities to seize any assets linked to the IRGC or its members held within Canada, as reported by AFP news.
Ottawa has defended the action by claiming that the IRGC consistently violates human rights and threatens the international rules-based order. A major contributing element to the designation, according to Canadian officials, was the downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in January 2020. Shortly after taking off from Tehran, the plane was shot down, killing all 176 passengers, including 85 nationals and permanent residents of Canada. The aircraft was wrongly designated as a hostile target, according to the IRGC, which later admitted responsibility.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Astronaut Sunita Williams to participate in Kerala Literature Festival 2026
New Delhi (PTI): Former NASA astronaut Sunita Williams is set to participate at the ninth edition of Kerala Literature Festival (KLF), starting January 22, announced organisers on Tuesday.
Williams, 60, who has spent over 300 days in space, is expected to reflect on her journeys beyond earth and speak about science, exploration, leadership, resilience, and the enduring power of human curiosity.
“The Kerala Literature Festival has always believed in expanding the idea of the fest to include science, discovery, leadership, and the human spirit. Sunita Williams represents the courage to explore the unknown and the discipline required to stretch human boundaries.
"She has also been a well-wisher of DC Books and KLF, which makes her presence at the festival especially meaningful. Her participation will inspire audiences across generations," said Ravi DeeCee, Managing Director of DC Books and chief facilitator at KLF.
On her third mission to the International Space Station in June last year along with Butch Wilmore, which lasted for 286 days, Williams created history by setting a record of most time spent spacewalking by a woman.
ALSO READ: Congress and NCP (SP) to contest separately in Nagpur civic polls
She was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998 and she underwent training at the Johnson Space Center. She also worked in Moscow with the Russian Space Agency on the Russian contribution to the International Space Station.
KLF 2026 will host over 500 speakers from across the world and will feature Germany as the guest nation for this year’s edition.
The festival’s speaker line-up include Nobel Laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah, Olga Tokarczuk and Abhijit Banerjee, Booker Prize-winning writer-activist Banu Mushtaq, Olympian Ben Johnson, former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, artist Cheyenne Olivier, economist Arvind Subramanian as well as noted writers Gabriela Ybarra, Peggy Mohan, Shobhaa De and Amish Tripathi.
