Iran accuses Canada of spying

Iranian legislators called for an immediate probe into the Canadian mission's activities, accusing it of espionage and demanding its closure.

Canada denied the accusations.

"That allegation is unfounded," foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Nguyen told AFP.

Hamidreza Hajbabai, Prominent MP, said that the Canadian embassy was acting as a proxy for Iran's arch enemy the United States.

"The Canadian embassy represents the 'Den of Spies', and this is unacceptable for Iranians," Hajbabai said.

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Rodney Moore claimed that Iran’s accusations are "likely an attempt at retaliation" for Canada's backing of a UN committee resolution condemning Iran's human-rights record.

"Our decision to sponsor this resolution is based on a detailed study of Iran's human-rights situation," he said. "Since the situation has clearly deteriorated, Canada and 43 other co-sponsors had a duty to stress that."

Iranian legislator Javad Arian-Manesh said that the Iranian parliament will investigate Canadian Embassy's activities and shut it down if episonage charges were proven.

Moore insists there is no spying going on.

"There's absolutely no basis for the allegation. Iran has well-defined obligations as a party to the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations and must protect our diplomatic personnel, our embassy and our residences in Iran," he alleged.

"We certainly use our contacts with Iran to encourage changes in Iranian policies on such issues as human rights, Iran's nuclear program and the Kazemi case."

A UN committee approved last month a Canadian-proposed draft resolution against Iran’s human rights records and asked for taking a strong action against what it said was "harassment, intimidation and persecution of human rights defenders, political opponents, ethnic and religious minorities and other groups in Iran."

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki accused Canada, which he labeled as an "agent" of UK and the U.S., for supporting "American and Zionist crimes" in the Middle East.

Canada has constrained ties with Iran over the case of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi who died in the custody of Tehran.

Iran asserts that Kazemi’s death was accidental, while Shahram Azam, a former military staff physician who sought asylum in Canada two years ago, alleges he examined Kazemi's body and observed evidence of rape and torture.