Iran says it is 'ready for talks' about renewing relations with Canada, but Ottawa must make 1st move

Iran has said it is "ready for talks" with Canada astir renewing agelong dormant diplomatic relations betwixt the 2 countries, but that Ottawa indispensable beryllium the 1 to marque the archetypal move.

"The narration was frozen unilaterally by Canada, not by Iran," said Esmail Baghaei, a overseas ministry spokesperson, astatine a caller media briefing successful Tehran.

"And we ne'er welcomed that determination due to the fact that we deliberation that determination was not for the payment of either of the 2 nations," helium said.

Baghaei was responding to a question from CBC News connected a caller reporting travel to Iran. Visas for Canadian journalists person only rarely been approved successful caller years.

WATCH | Iranian spokesperson discusses possibility of renewing relations with Canada: 

"I deliberation it's for Canada to determine what people of enactment they privation to take," said Baghaei. "I deliberation the archetypal measurement they person to instrumentality is to unravel the galore sanctions and restraints that they person imposed connected themselves and connected our bilateral relations."

That's deemed improbable by experts and Canadian diplomats.

Ottawa severed diplomatic ties with Iran successful 2012. The authorities of past premier curate Stephen Harper cited the Islamic Republic's perceived ambition for a atomic weapon, its enactment for the dictatorship of the since ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, arsenic good arsenic persistent quality rights abuses. 

Recent efforts aimed astatine restoring talks betwixt Washington and Tehran implicit a woody to bounds Iran's atomic programme successful speech for lifting sanctions has raised hopes among mean Iranians longing for an extremity to their country's isolation and economical pain.

Some Iranians anticipation Canada volition return

"We person galore difficulties for the exports due to the fact that of these [sanctions] that these Western countries made to us," said Rasoul Namavari.

The businessman conscionable bought the gathering that utilized to location the erstwhile Canadian Embassy successful Tehran and is present basing his insubstantial institution there.

He was blessed to amusement disconnected renovation enactment and constituent retired the past remaining Maple Leaf attached to 1 of the windows astatine the erstwhile embassy.

"We kept that 1 arsenic the practice of the aged days," helium said.

Canada leased the gathering starting successful 1974, 5 years earlier the Islamic Revolution, close done to 2014. That seems to connote that Canada was inactive hedging its bets connected whether to instrumentality for astatine slightest a mates of years.

Namavari would similar to spot Canada re-open an embassy successful Iran, albeit not successful the gathering helium conscionable bought. 

"[We hope] that the Canada authorities returns, and they unfastened the doors for the Iranian families [who] privation to sojourn their families." 

There are an estimated 300,000 Iranian Canadians. Friends and relatives successful Iran who privation to sojourn their families successful Canada person to question overseas to Turkey oregon different countries to get a visa.

Though Namavari notes he's not a politician, the concern proprietor believes Iran and America volition scope an agreement.

That's a presumption shared by immoderate analysts who accidental hits to Iran's determination allies — including the weakening of Hezbollah successful Lebanon and the autumn of Syria's Assad — person near it susceptible and much successful request of a atomic woody than ever successful the look of U.S. and Israeli subject threats.

But those moving for antiauthoritarian alteration successful Iran interest astir the anticipation that improved relations with the West — nevertheless flimsy — could prolong the beingness of Iran's theocracy, alternatively than weaken oregon betterment it.

Relatives of PS752 passengers request justice

Khosro Malek is simply a antheral whose beingness is drenched successful a nonaccomplishment that fuels his determination to talk connected the grounds with a overseas quality organization, contempt the imaginable risk.

Malek's daughter, Maryam, was killed successful January 2020, erstwhile Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired 2 missiles astatine Ukrainian rider formation PS752 conscionable six minutes aft it took disconnected from the Tehran airport.

He describes her arsenic an "extraordinarily benignant and warm-hearted person" who devoted overmuch of her clip to helping those successful need. Maryam Malek was connected her mode backmost to Canada wherever she was studying for a master's grade successful concern astatine Saint Mary's University successful Halifax.

"We are radical whose loved ones near this satellite successful the astir distressing mode possible," helium told CBC News successful an interview.

"Whatever remained of them was past crushed nether the bulldozer tracks and by the authorities who had travel to retrieve the remains of our loved ones."

All 176 radical connected committee were killed. Of the 167 passengers, 138 were travelling to Canada via Ukraine, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 imperishable residents. 

Iran initially denied responsibility, earlier admitting it and blaming quality error.

Like different relatives of those connected board, Malek believes the level was either targeted oregon knowingly endangered to "divert" American retaliation aft Iran launched ballistic missiles astatine U.S. troops based successful Iraq. 

In different words, helium believes it was utilized arsenic a quality shield.

The level went down conscionable days aft Iranian Maj.-Gen. Qasem Soleimani was killed by a U.S. drone successful Iraq.

Many household members of those connected Flight PS752 person reported being harassed and intimidated by Iranian authorities. 

WATCH | Families of PS752 passengers accidental they look intimidation successful Iran: 

"I get a telephone telephone and americium told that I mustn't speak," said Malek. "Whenever we clasp our day ceremonies, we find ourselves surrounded by information forces."

Malek and different household members person petitioned the International Criminal Court to commencement an probe into the downing of the level arsenic a imaginable warfare crime. He is bitterly disappointed with Canada for failing to backmost them.

Downing of formation utilized arsenic 'political leverage,' Iran says

There is nary uncertainty the circumstances surrounding the downing of the rider level stay highly delicate for Iranian authorities.

On the ground, CBC News was discouraged from asking Iranian officials astir it.

But we did rise it with Baghaei, the overseas ministry spokesperson, successful a one-on-one interrogation aft the broader media briefing.

He said things would person been easier if Canada and Iran had had diplomatic relations astatine the time.

"That would springiness the accidental to some countries to speech unneurotic alternatively of resorting to different means of colony of this issue," helium said.

Canada is seeking to clasp Iran accountable for the downing of the level via a associated assertion astatine the International Court of Justice successful The Hague with Sweden, Britain and Ukraine. Iran has since made a counter-claim.

Baghaei accused Canada of being "unhelpful" from the precise beginning.

"And the information that this contented was utilized — oregon to usage the close word, abused — by Canada and others arsenic a governmental leverage against Iran, that was truly not helpful."

"Most of the radical who mislaid their lives, they're Iranians," helium said. "And we were truthful overmuch saddened by the incident. 

"I deliberation what we request to bash is to travel backmost to respectful talks successful bid to spot what has happened to our relations for the past 2 oregon 3 decades."

WATCH | 5 years aft downing of Flight PS752, families inactive person questions: 

Malek says restoring ties with Iran volition alteration thing successful a state helium says treats civilians arsenic if they were "sandbags connected the frontlines of a war."

For him, determination volition beryllium nary justness for Maryam, oregon the others who were killed, without cardinal changes to Iran's governmental system.

"Not lone were they deprived of their close to life, but we the bereaved," helium said. "Those near down person besides been denied our close to live. We tin ne'er beryllium blessed again."