Canada has deported a former senior Iranian government official after the Federal Court rejected his final attempt to stop his removal, according to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
The CBSA confirmed that Syed Salman Samani, a former Iranian deputy interior minister and government spokesperson, has been removed from Canada. He is the second Iranian regime official expelled under a federal policy introduced in 2022 that bars senior members of Iran’s government from entering or remaining in Canada.
According to the CBSA, Samani was a career politician in Iran between 2007 and 2021 before arriving in Canada in 2022. The agency alleged that his record showed longstanding loyalty to the Iranian regime. The Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) ordered his deportation in 2024.
Samani appealed the decision, but Federal Court Justice Sébastien Grammond rejected his case in a ruling released this week. The court noted that Samani had acknowledged having significant influence over government decisions while serving in Iran.
The ruling also pointed to the role of Iran’s interior ministry in overseeing police forces accused of widespread human rights violations. According to the court, Samani publicly defended the ministry’s actions during Iran’s deadly 2019 crackdown on protesters, commonly known as “Bloody November,” and threatened politicians who questioned the government’s conduct.
Samani maintained that he had done nothing wrong during the crackdown. He also argued that he had ultimately decided to leave Iran because of the government’s killing of demonstrators and feared he could face harm if returned.
The court concluded, however, that the risk to Samani was insufficient to outweigh Canada’s interest in removing individuals deemed responsible for systematic human rights violations.
Samani had also sought to keep his Federal Court appeal confidential and previously attempted to exclude the media from his 2024 deportation hearing. While his bid for secrecy was rejected, the court agreed to seal sensitive files connected to the case.
His deportation comes amid longstanding concerns from members of Canada’s Iranian diaspora that individuals linked to Tehran’s government have been using Canada as a safe haven.
Ottawa introduced measures in 2022 declaring senior Iranian government officials inadmissible to Canada. However, authorities have faced challenges identifying and removing individuals who fall under the policy.
CBSA figures released on June 30 show the agency has launched 180 investigations involving suspected senior Iranian regime officials in Canada. Authorities have identified 37 people believed to meet the definition of senior regime officials.
Eight individuals left Canada before their deportation hearings began, while the IRB has issued removal orders against three others. Seven people were determined not to be senior regime members, nine cases remain before the IRB and the CBSA is preparing proceedings against another 10 individuals. Fifty-five cases remain under investigation.
The CBSA said it remains committed to preventing senior Iranian regime officials from finding safe haven in Canada.
The agency also reported that a record 23,160 foreign nationals were removed from Canada in 2025. It is currently carrying out approximately 400 removals each week and has added enforcement officers in an effort to accelerate the processing and removal of inadmissible foreign nationals.
