Iran calls Canada’s decision ‘hasty’ and ‘extreme’

TEHRAN, Sept. 8 (MNA) - The Iranian Foreign Ministry shunned the Canadian government for closing its embassy in Tehran, calling it a “hasty” and “extreme” move. “The government of Canada under the leadership of Mr. Stephan Harper is known for extreme policies in foreign policy areas,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said on Friday. Mehmanparast added “the hostile and racist behaviors of the current government in Canada” are a copycat of “the dictated Zionist and British policies.” The spokesman also said the closure of the Canadian embassy in Iran falls within Harpers’ anti-Iranian policies and a “hasty reaction” to the successful holding of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran in late August. The Ottawa government has claimed that the reasons for its decision are Iran's support for the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and "blatant disregard" for the protection of diplomatic personnel.