The International Centre for Human Rights in Iran (ICHR): The Honourable Jason Kenney, Canada’s Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, declared that he has instructed his department to study the possibility of opening up a Visa Application Center (VAC) in Tehran in a letter to Mr. Hassan Zarezadeh Ardeshir, Executive Director of the International Center for Human Rights. The letter received yesterday to ICHR’s office attempts to relieve the concerns that Iranian-Canadian have in Canada regarding the closure of Visa Office in Tehran.
In May 10th, 2012 ICHR had presented its objection against the closure of the Visa and Immigration Section at the Embassy of Canada in Tehran and written through a letter to Honourable Jason Kenney; “We do not believe that the permanent closure of the visa office in Tehran was the optimal decision with respect to the effect it possesses on the Iranian community, either as a result of “budgeting measures” or “limitation of financial interaction between two countries”.
The action (the closure of the Visa and Immigration Section in Tehran) is against Human Rights, had written Hassan Zarezadeh Ardeshir, Executive Director of ICHR to the Minister. He also added that: “Although we support diplomatic sanctions against the Islamic Republic, we believe the only result of the closure of Visa Section in Tehran is restriction for Iranians.“
Mr. Kenney has replied to the letter as follows: “I recognized moving the Tehran visa office to Ankara has created some concern in the community. That is why I have instructed my department to study the possibility of opening up a Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Tehran that will allow applicants to deposit their application, their fees and their passport in a location in Tehran.”
