Canada let Iran football chief linked to IRGC in — then got caught | Eye for Iran | EP 101|

An Iran International exclusive has triggered a political firestorm in Ottawa — after Mehdi Taj, Iran’s football chief and a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence commander, was granted entry into Canada despite being legally inadmissible under the country’s own terrorist designation.Taj was issued a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) — a rare override used to bypass national security inadmissibility — allowing him to travel to Vancouver for a FIFA Congress. But after the story broke and public pressure mounted, he was stopped at the airport and sent back.Now, Prime Minister Mark Carney is facing mounting questions:Who approved the permit? Why was an IRGC-linked figure allowed in? And did the government only act after being exposed?Melissa Lantsman, Deputy Leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, joins Eye for Iran to demand accountability, warning that this case exposes deeper failures in Canada’s immigration system, national security screening and enforcement of its own IRGC terror listing.But this story doesn’t stop at Canada.At the same time, the UK is facing a surge in violent attacks targeting Jewish communities — including a stabbing in Golders Green, attempted synagogue firebombings and arson attacks on Jewish ambulances. British authorities are now investigating whether these attacks are linked to Iran and a shadow network known as HAYI (Harakat al-Shabab al-Yamin al-Islamiyah).Alex Winston of The Jerusalem Post explains why intelligence officials fear this reflects a broader Iranian strategy: proxy networks, online radicalizationand sleeper cells recruited across EuropeLen Khodorkovsky, former U.S. State Department official, breaks down the war of narratives, Trump’s warning to Iran and how the regime is using internet blackouts and information control to hide unrest and shape global perception.This episode connects the dots between immigration policy, terrorism and the Islamic Republic’s global reach — and asks critical questions.Guests: Melissa Lantsman, Len Khodorkovsky, Alex WinstonHost: Negar MojtahediProgram: Eye for IranEye for Iran is a podcast series brought you by Iran International that takes you beyond the headlines and brings you the Iran stories that matter most. Chapters: 00:00 Opening Highlights | Taj turned away, Trump warning, UK Jewish attacks02:15 Melissa Lantsman | How did Mehdi Taj get a permit?03:25 Melissa Lantsman | “Somebody issued him a permit”05:16 Melissa Lantsman | IRGC concerns in Canada07:42 Melissa Lantsman | “They circumvented the rules”08:51 Melissa Lantsman | Who approved Taj’s entry?10:09 Melissa Lantsman | Canada’s privacy excuse11:27 Melissa Lantsman | Parliament demands answers12:09 Melissa Lantsman | Did Canada act only after being exposed?13:41 Melissa Lantsman | Canada’s wider IRGC problem15:44 Melissa Lantsman | Ottawa’s confusing response16:47 Melissa Lantsman | What happens next?18:47 Alex Winston | UK Jewish attacks and possible Iran links19:41 Alex Winston | Golders Green, synagogue firebombings and HAYI20:07 Alex Winston | Iran’s external operations playbook22:30 Alex Winston | Telegram, IRGC-linked media and proxy networks24:03 Alex Winston | Why proving Iran links is difficult26:39 Alex Winston | Was HAYI born out of the war?27:38 Alex Winston | How Iran takes the war to the West29:45 Alex Winston | Is the West waking up?30:51 Alex Winston | Is regime change the only solution?32:38 Alex Winston | Where the war could go next36:01 Alex Winston | Fears of more sleeper-cell attacks38:02 Len Khodorkovsky | Iran, messaging and information warfare38:27 Len Khodorkovsky | America’s message to Iran’s regime and people42:00 Len Khodorkovsky | Iran’s internet blackout and the battle for truth46:10 Len Khodorkovsky | Western media narratives and the Iran war52:06 Len Khodorkovsky | Trump’s warning and negotiation strategy56:00 Len Khodorkovsky | Iran’s people, blackout and Western silence59:42 Len Khodorkovsky | Prince Reza Pahlavi, the press and agenda-driven narratives01:01:51 Len Khodorkovsky | How journalism standards have changed01:05:15 Len Khodorkovsky | How audiences should consume news today01:08:05 Closing Remarks | Final thoughts and newsletter details#iran #irgc #fifa #iranwar #operationepicfury #canada #usa #trump #carney #immigration #uk #jewish #israel #youtube #shorts #podcast #news #middleeast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.