In a special response to Iran International, Canada’s Ministry of Public Safety called the military threat against journalists of Persian-language media “state terrorism” and “transnational repression,” and announced the activation of a special protective network of the Federal Police and security agencies to protect journalists on Canadian soil.

The position was announced after Abolfazl Shikarchi, the senior spokesperson of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic, said that Iran International staff and three other Persian-language media outlets are listed in the Islamic Republic’s “bank of military targets.”

Report by Mahsa Mortazavi, a journalist for Iran International