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2h ago

Ottawa Police Make Arrest After Iran’s Vacant Embassy Is Defaced

Police report one trespass arrest linked to the defacement at the long-shuttered mission.

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The defaced Iranian Embassy is seen in Ottawa on Tuesday. The building has been closed for more than a decade.
Iran's Embassy on Metcalfe Street, which has been closed since Canada severed diplomatic relations with that country in 2012, showed signs of vandalism on Tuesday.

Overview

  • Police say they received a 5:50 a.m. Monday call about a person jumping the fence and later arrested one individual on trespass-related charges, with a circulating video under review for other possible offences.
  • Reporters confirmed the Islamic Republic emblem was gone from the façade, and a pre-1979 lion-and-sun sign and flag were installed, while the video purportedly showing the removal has not been independently verified.
  • The building has been closed since Canada cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2012, with the Swiss Embassy acting as Iran’s protecting power in Canada.
  • Officials signaled limited roles or no comment: the RCMP said the matter is outside its mandate, the Swiss Embassy declined to discuss protecting-power actions, and Iran’s UN mission acknowledged an inquiry without a statement.
  • The episode unfolded as nationwide demonstrations in Iran grew from cost-of-living and utility grievances to open calls for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to resign, alongside reports of internet restrictions.