Former Iranian official living in Toronto was ‘critical’ to terror finance, CBSA alleges

A former Iranian government official who resided in Toronto was allegedly involved in financing terrorism, according to allegations made by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The 2024 report, which was released on Tuesday, detailed how Abbas Omidi, a deputy director in Iran's Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Trade, contributed to the nation's state-sponsored terrorism.

The report claimed that Omidi's influence over Iran's mining sector, which is a major contributor to the country's GDP, benefited the Iranian government in terms of funding both domestic and foreign terrorist activities.

The CBSA's allegations were presented during Omidi's deportation hearing, which began in March 2024. Despite Omidi's efforts to shield the press from his trial, Global News successfully fought for public access to the proceedings. In addition to the CBSA's claims, the report revealed that the IRGC heavily relies on mining revenues to sustain its involvement with terrorist organizations.

Iran's IRGC has reportedly provided financial and material support to a wide range of terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah, Kata'ib Hizballah, and other Shia militias. These groups have received up to $700 million in support from the IRGC, which relies on the mining sector for approximately 40% of Iran's GDP. Omidi, who earned a salary four times higher than the national average, was accused of significantly impacting Iran's economy and enabling the government's ability to fund terrorism and human rights violations.