Iran International
An Iranian movie depicting an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander with close ties to Iran’s Supreme Leader as a hero is set to screen at a Canadian film festival this weekend, stoking controversy in the Iranian-Canadian diaspora.
The film, called “Ahmad” is scheduled to play November 30 at the Muslim International Film Festival (MIFF) in Toronto.
The Canadian government listed the IRGC as a terrorist entity in July. The listing means police can charge anyone who financially or materially supports the IRGC and banks can freeze its assets.
“I think it's absolutely abhorrent,” Toronto Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Kevin Vuong told Iran International.
Vuong said he was looking into what avenues were available to address this issue including bringing this up in the House of Commons.
“For us to have worked so hard for the Iranian diaspora to have demanded for so many years to finally see the IRGC designated as a terrorist that they are. And now, for their permission of a video that glorifies a IRGC leader. It makes no sense,” he told Iran International over zoom.
The film festival website described the main movie character Ahmad Kazemi as a hero and a martyr who mobilized the IRGC Air Force (AF) to save lives after the devastating 2003 Bam earthquakes in southeastern Iran.
Kazemi was appointed as to the IRGC AF in 2003, and as Commander of the Ground Forces of the IRGC in 2005 by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to the Tehran Times. He was killed in a plane crash that year.
He also had close ties to Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani who was killed by a US airstrike at Baghdad airport in 2020.
“"How is it possible that IRGC is designated as a terrorist organization in Canada? But now a movie that's praising one of the is former generals will be on this screens in Canada. This is shocking for me,” Mehdi Moradi, a human rights advocate in Ontario told Iran International.
Moradi is one of dozens of activists in the community who helped push the Canadian government to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity.
Representatives for MIFF responded to Iran International's inquires saying they have received messages from the Iranian diaspora expressing concern and are currently evaluating their next steps.
The Canadian government, Public Safety Canada, and the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to Iran International's request for comment.
At a recent consultation in Germany, attendees shared testimonies and called for international support to address human rights violations and crimes against humanity committed during and after the protests.
“I don’t want to imagine a future where we see the perpetrators of these crimes posting on Instagram. Perpetrators need to be held accountable,” said one of the survivors whose identity was withheld for safety concerns.
While some survivors demanded justice for crimes committed, many called for systemic reform. “The law is being used as a weapon against us,” said another participant, emphasizing the need for legal reform to eliminate discrimination against women and minorities.
Participants also highlighted the courage of those inside Iran who supported protesters, including medical professionals and lawyers, often at great personal risk.
The UN Fact Finding Mission on Iran was established by the UN Human Rights Council in November 2022 to investigate abuses in Iran following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in custody for violating the country’s mandatory hijab rules.
The nationwide protests sparked by her death were met with a crackdown that left countless victims of arbitrary detention, torture, and gender-based violence, including children and those blinded or severely injured by security forces.
Participants at the consultation included Iranians who had fled persecution and sought protection in Germany. Parents who lost loved ones in the protests described enduring repression, including denial of the right to mourn. They shared accounts of pervasive surveillance and judicial harassment in Iran that frustrate efforts for accountability.
“In this hearing, survivors - including children, and young women and men - spoke of their priorities for truth, justice, accountability and reparations,” said Sara Hossain, Chair of the Fact-Finding Mission in a press release on Wednesday.
The survivors welcomed the Fact-Finding Mission’s ongoing efforts but voiced disappointment at the lack of international action to pressure Iran into complying with its human rights obligations.
The Mission, which has gathered thousands of pieces of evidence, is preparing a roadmap for truth, justice, and reparations to present to the UN Human Rights Council in 2025. Viviana Krsticevic, a member of the Mission, highlighted plans for actionable recommendations, including measures for victim rehabilitation and accountability.
Shaheen Sardar Ali, another Mission member, emphasized the courage of the survivors and those who supported them inside Iran, such as medical professionals and lawyers, despite significant risks. “Their voices remind us of the continued need for solidarity and support,” Ali said.
Escalating repression and global condemnation
Amid these efforts, Iran’s human rights record continues to draw global criticism. A joint statement from 18 human rights organizations condemned the recent death sentences handed down to Kurdish political prisoner Varisheh Moradi and humanitarian worker Pakhshan Azizi.
The organizations accused Iran of violating their rights to fair trials and extracting forced confessions under torture.
“These women, with their determination and courage, have initiated a new chapter in the struggle for freedom and equality,” the statement read, warning that their executions would further galvanize resistance against the Iranian government.
The organizations also noted that since the start of the protests, the Iranian government has escalated executions to instill fear, targeting women and Kurdish communities disproportionately. This systemic repression, the statement argued, underscores the urgent need for international action to hold Iran accountable for its human rights abuses.
The statement has been signed by organizations and individuals including PEN America, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, the Ahwaz Human Rights Organization, the Baluch Activists Campaign, the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran, United4Iran, and Iran Prison Atlas.
Iran has experienced a significant surge in executions in 2024, with at least 711 individuals executed by mid-November, marking a substantial increase from previous years. This escalation has drawn widespread condemnation from international organizations.
These actions have intensified calls from the international community for Iran to impose a moratorium on the death penalty and adhere to its human rights obligations.
Yousef Pezeshkian, the President's son, was appointed on Wednesday as the Media Advisor and Assistant to the Presidential Chief of Staff, Mohsen Haji-Mirzaei.
Despite publicly decrying preferential hiring practices, the president’s son, son-in-law, and other family members have secured government positions so far, echoing controversies that marred previous administrations led by Hassan Rouhani and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Ironically, during a recent meeting with members of the medical community, Pezeshkian called for the inclusion of academics and experts in addressing national challenges.
“Unfortunately, problems are often entrusted to individuals who lack the necessary expertise,” he said, criticizing the influence of personal connections in staffing decisions. However, his remarks were overshadowed by media reports a day earlier that his son, Yousef Pezeshkian, had been appointed as media advisor and assistant to the chief of staff in his father’s administration.
Yousef, who holds a degree in physics and has no known professional experience in media, is not the only relative to benefit from the administration's appointments.
Hassan Majidi, the president’s son-in-law, was previously named special assistant to the chief of staff. Meanwhile, Shahram Dabiri, the president’s parliamentary deputy, reportedly facilitated appointments for his own relatives, including his brother-in-law and brother, to key positions.
The revelations are a sharp contrast to Pezeshkian’s campaign rhetoric. In addition to pledging a transparent and merit-based government, he promised to end internet restrictions, consult citizens before price hikes, and enact broad reforms.
However, internet access remains heavily restricted, and price increases have continued, fueling frustration among citizens who expected a reduction of the annual 40% inflation rate.
The move by Pezeshikian is not new in Iran’s political arena. Former president Hassan Rouhani faced backlash for appointing his brother, Hossein Fereydoun, as a special aide involved in nuclear negotiations. Fereydoun was later arrested on corruption charges.
Rouhani’s son-in-law, Kambiz Mehdizadeh, also faced nepotism allegations after being named Head the Geological Survey of Iran.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s tenure also saw the appointment of several family members, including his late brother Davoud as head of the Presidential Inspection Organization and his son’s father-in-law Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei to influential advisory roles. These appointments sparked controversy and accusations of consolidating power through personal networks.
The controversies surrounding family appointments in Pezeshkian’s administration come at a critical time for Iran, as economic challenges and public dissatisfaction grow.