# Is there a backstory to Canada closing its embassy in Iran, and expelling all Iranian diplomats? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 7, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-backstory-to-canada-closing-its-embassy-in-iran-and-expelling-all-iranian-diplomats/634008 "2012-09-07T16:54:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-backstory-to-canada-closing-its-embassy-in-iran-and-expelling-all-iranian-diplomats/634008/1 "2012-09-07T16:54:20Z")
[Just curious](http://news.yahoo.com/canada-closes-iran-embassy-expel-remaining-iranian-diplomats-134816841.html)… was there some specific incident I haven’t heard about, or some deal with Israel or the US, or just genuine self-interest? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-backstory-to-canada-closing-its-embassy-in-iran-and-expelling-all-iranian-diplomats/634008/2 "2012-09-07T17:06:37Z")
I don’t know of any backstory. We have a majority Conservative government in the House of Commons, and the house doesn’t sit again for a couple of weeks. So, there’s no political posturing that I’m aware of. There has been some interest by this government to be more visible on the world stage and try to flex some muscle. It helps that we have resources that some areas pursuing. ---
**Author:** ![President\_T\_Toilet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@President\_T\_Toilet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/President_T_Toilet)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-backstory-to-canada-closing-its-embassy-in-iran-and-expelling-all-iranian-diplomats/634008/3 "2012-09-07T17:23:19Z")
This situation with Iran is disturbing. My gut tells me we’re heading to an all out war. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-backstory-to-canada-closing-its-embassy-in-iran-and-expelling-all-iranian-diplomats/634008/4 "2012-09-07T17:25:45Z")
You mean Canada?! ---
**Author:** ![President\_T\_Toilet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@President\_T\_Toilet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/President_T_Toilet)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-backstory-to-canada-closing-its-embassy-in-iran-and-expelling-all-iranian-diplomats/634008/5 "2012-09-07T18:08:23Z")
Lol no not Canada. I mean Isreal,then the US and whomever else is itching for a fight. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-backstory-to-canada-closing-its-embassy-in-iran-and-expelling-all-iranian-diplomats/634008/6 "2012-09-07T19:07:25Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > [Just curious](http://news.yahoo.com/canada-closes-iran-embassy-expel-remaining-iranian-diplomats-134816841.html)… was there some specific incident I haven’t heard about, or some deal with Israel or the US, or just genuine self-interest? [**There’s this**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_D._Taylor)[**and this**](http://www.rferl.org/content/Former_Canadian_Ambassador_Admits_To_Spying_For_CIA/1938176.html), in which Ken Taylor acknowledged years later that he was a spy for the CIA against Iran. Canadians would be at the top of any target list. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-backstory-to-canada-closing-its-embassy-in-iran-and-expelling-all-iranian-diplomats/634008/7 "2012-09-07T19:11:39Z")
That stuff isn’t exactly recent. The Canadians closed their embassy in Iran today. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-backstory-to-canada-closing-its-embassy-in-iran-and-expelling-all-iranian-diplomats/634008/8 "2012-09-07T19:12:40Z")
The conservative government in Ottawa has adopted a very pro-Israel approach these past few years. They actively opposed the attempt to increase Palestinian presence in the U.N. This just seems like more of the same. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-backstory-to-canada-closing-its-embassy-in-iran-and-expelling-all-iranian-diplomats/634008/9 "2012-09-07T19:37:21Z")
I had a visitor today that mentioned we’re going to war with Iran next. I didn’t pursue that line of conversation; my mind has been more on WTF is going to happen in Afghanistan after we split. (I just finished reading “A Thousand Splendid Suns.”) Hello Burkas. Goodbye education. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-backstory-to-canada-closing-its-embassy-in-iran-and-expelling-all-iranian-diplomats/634008/10 "2012-09-07T19:42:57Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > That stuff isn’t exactly recent. The Canadians closed their embassy in Iran today. No one has longer memories than a religions’ crazies, especially when they run a country. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-backstory-to-canada-closing-its-embassy-in-iran-and-expelling-all-iranian-diplomats/634008/11 "2012-09-07T23:29:43Z")
> [@Kenm](#): > > No one has longer memories than a religions’ crazies, especially when they run a country. Sure, but this seems to have been an action taken by the Canadians, not the Iranians.