Mr. Chair, to build on my hon. colleague's comments, in addition to talking about freedom of speech and reporting, there was mention of the Tehran embassy closure. I want to assure members present, as well as everyone listening to these proceedings, that the safety and security of our personnel abroad is this government's top priority.
At the time of the closure, the Iranian regime had shown blatant disregard for the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and its guarantee of protection for diplomatic personnel. Diplomatic relations between Canada and Iran were suspended due to the regime's sponsorship of terrorism, its nuclear ambitions, and its abysmal record on human rights.
Furthermore, the Government of Canada formally listed Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism under the State Immunity Act. It was under these circumstances that Canada could no longer maintain a safe or diplomatic presence in Iran, and the decision to close the embassy was made. This was all made clear in our announcement on September 7, 2012.