Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand has expressed deep sorrow over the death of a Canadian citizen in Iran, allegedly at the hands of Iranian authorities. She extended condolences to the victim’s family and confirmed that Canadian consular officials are providing assistance. Anand also joined growing international condemnation of Iran’s harsh response to widespread anti-regime protests that have continued to intensify across the country. In a statement shared on X, she said she had learned of the Canadian citizen’s death and emphasized that peaceful demonstrations by Iranians demanding to be heard amid repression and ongoing human rights abuses have been met with extreme violence. She stated that Canada strongly condemns these actions and called for an immediate end to the Iranian regime’s use of force.

Global concern has mounted as protests grip Iran, prompting strong reactions from world leaders. On January 10, several countries condemned the killing and detention of protesters as tensions escalated and pressure mounted on the Iranian leadership. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, and the European Union praised the courage of Iranian citizens standing up for their rights while denouncing the reported crackdown by Iranian authorities. The statement highlighted concerns over the use of violence, arbitrary arrests, intimidation, and the killing of protesters by the regime.

The nations urged the Iranian government to immediately stop using aggressive and lethal force against demonstrators and to uphold basic freedoms. They specifically called for an end to actions by security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij. According to the statement, more than 40 lives have already been lost. The ministers stressed that Iran has a responsibility to protect its population and must allow freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear of retaliation.