Canada’s former justice minister has confirmed to the BBC that he was the target of a recent Iranian assassination attempt that was foiled.
Irwin Kotler’s office said it was notified by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) of an Iranian-backed attempt on his life in late October.
Mr Kotler, 84, has long been a critic of Iran, and previously called for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to be classified as a terrorist organisation.
The BBC has contacted Iran’s foreign ministry for comment.
The alleged plot against Mr Kotler comes after the US brought charges against a man accused by Iran of trying to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump.
Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper first reported the alleged plot against Mr. Cotler on Monday morning, citing an unnamed source. Mr Cotler’s office then confirmed the report to the BBC.
The RCMP told the BBC it does not reveal details of its security measures, or confirm who may be protected.
According to the Globe and Mail, Mr. Cotler was notified by the RCMP on Oct. 26 that he was under threat of assassination within 48 hours by Iranian agents.
The newspaper reported that authorities were aware of two suspects in connection with the plot, but it is not known if they were arrested or fled the country. According to the newspaper, Mr Cotler was advised on Thursday that the threat against him had been reduced.
Mr. Kotler, who is Jewish, is said to have been under 24/7 protection by the RCMP for more than a year since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas against Israel.
He was flagged by Canadian intelligence as a high-profile target of Iran, which supports Hamas. Mr Kotler was provided with bulletproof vehicles, heavily armed officers and other security measures for protection.
Mr. Cotler, now retired, was a Member of Parliament in Canada from 1999 to 2015. He served as Minister of Justice and Attorney General in former Prime Minister Paul Martin’s Liberal government from 2003 to 2006.
He is and has been an outspoken critic of the government in Tehran. In 2013, a motion was introduced in the Parliament of Canada. Call for recognition and designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization. Canada is officially listed. IRGC as a terrorist organization In June this year.
Mr. Kotler has represented Iranian political prisoners and has strong ties to Israel.
His daughter, Michal Cotler-Wunsh, is an Israeli politician and diplomat and has served as a member of the Israeli Parliament.
Earlier this month, US authorities arrested an Afghan national in connection with an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate President-elect Trump before he was elected.
According to the indictment against him by the US Department of Justice, Farhad Shakiri, 51, is alleged to have been tasked with “providing a plan” to kill Trump.
Mr Shakiri has not been arrested and is believed to be in Iran.
Two other people were arrested in the US for allegedly plotting to kill an American journalist who was an outspoken critic of Iran.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Ismail Baghai has responded to these allegations saying that they are completely baseless.
In a statement, Mr. Baghai said similar allegations of attempts to assassinate US presidents had been made in the past, which Iran denied and proved to be false. He added that repeating such claims risks “further complicating matters between the United States and Iran.”
