TEHRAN, December 30. /TASS/. In response to Ottawa's designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, the elite unit of the Iranian Armed Forces) as a terrorist organization, Iran has added the Royal Canadian Navy to its list of terrorist organizations, the Foreign Ministry reported.

"Since the Canadian government has declared the IRGC, which is recognized as one of the pillars of the country's official armed forces, a terrorist organization, contrary to the fundamental principles of international law, the Iranian government <...> considers the Royal Canadian Navy to be subject to the law [on reciprocal measures] and, therefore, in accordance with the principle of reciprocity, identifies and declares it a terrorist organization," the ministry said in a statement.

Diplomats emphasized that this decision is guided by Article 7 of the "Law on Reciprocal Measures in Response to the Designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a Terrorist Organization by the United States," which allows for symmetrical measures against countries that support the US decision.

In June 2024, the Canadian authorities recognized the IRGC as a terrorist organization. According to Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister Dominic LeBlanc, the authorities placed the IRGC on the list of terrorist organizations based on the recommendation of Canadian security services and foreign policy considerations.