Decision to freeze Iranian assets in Canada is a violation of intl. law: Iranian official

TEHRAN,Nov.6(MNA) – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said on Monday that the recent decision by a Canadian court to freeze three properties belonging to the Iranian government was politically motivated and in violation of the United Nations Charter. An Ontario judge has issued a restraining order against Iran’s property in Canada, including its embassy in Ottawa and a former cultural centre in Toronto, as the family of an American woman killed in a terrorist attack tries to collect a $13-million judgment by a U.S. court from a wrongful death claim against Iran’s security agency, the National Post reported on November 1. Three properties were frozen, ensuring they are not sold or transferred, until court can decide whether they should be forfeited to the victim’s family to help satisfy the U.S. court award. Mehmanparast stated that the decision violates the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963, the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of the 1961, and other international regulations. He also stated that the measure was politically motivated given the fact that it was taken shortly after the suspension of relations between Iran and Canada. Mehmanparast added that Iran denies claims that it has been involved in a terrorist action, strongly condemns the move, and holds the Canadian government responsible in this regard. Iran reserves the right to restore its rights through political and legal channels, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman noted.