Report: Iran Tried to Assassinate Its Prominent Canadian Jewish Critic Irwin Cotler

Photo Credit: Miriam Alster/FLASH90

Canadian MP and international law expert Irwin Cotler (l) with Labor MP Nachman Shai at a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security committee meeting, March 20, 2012.

In a chilling revelation, Iranian operatives allegedly conspired to assassinate Irwin Cotler, a prominent Canadian human rights advocate and former justice minister, according to The Globe and Mail. The plot, reportedly targeting one of the Ayatollah regime’s most outspoken critics, was thwarted by law enforcement authorities.

Citing a confidential source, the newspaper reported that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) alerted Cotler on October 26 about an imminent assassination threat, warning that Iranian agents intended to act within 48 hours. The swift intervention highlights escalating tensions over Tehran’s targeting of dissidents and critics abroad.

The source also revealed that legal authorities had identified two suspects connected to the plot. However, it remains unclear whether the individuals have been apprehended or if they have fled the country. This uncertainty underscores the challenges law enforcement faces in addressing transnational threats linked to state actors.

Cotler, a longtime advocate for global human rights and vocal opponent of Iran’s clerical leadership, has yet to comment publicly on the alleged threat. The RCMP has not provided further details, citing security concerns and the ongoing investigation.

The son of a lawyer, Cotler was born in Montreal, Quebec to a Jewish family. He received his BA in 1961, and BCL in 1964, from McGill University and was an editor of the McGill Law Journal. He then graduated from Yale Law School. He was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in a by-election in Mount Royal in November 1999, winning 92% of votes cast, and serving until 2015. He served as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada from 2003 until the Liberal government of Paul Martin lost power following the 2006 federal election.

Cotler also chaired the Inter-Parliamentary Group for Human Rights in Iran. He worked with a group of international jurists to indict Iranian President Ahmadinejad for incitement to genocide under the UN Charter and the Genocide Convention, saying that the Iranian government used anti-Jewish rhetoric similar to the Nazi Party.

Cotler chaired a commission called the “Responsibility to Prevent Coalition,” which released a petition in 2009 entitled “The Danger of a Genocidal and Nuclear Iran: A Responsibility to Prevent Petition.” The petition was signed by Elie Wiesel, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, former Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Per Ahlmark, and historian Yehuda Bauer.

Cotler is an advisory board member of United Against Nuclear Iran and the Counter Extremism Project.

Cotler has been a target of Iran’s ire since 2008 when he launched a global campaign to have the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) designated as a terrorist organization. Over the years, he has also represented Iranian political prisoners and has been an outspoken advocate for Israel.

In June, under mounting pressure from opposition parties, Canada joined the United States in formally declaring the IRGC a terrorist entity. The move further strained relations between Ottawa and Tehran, which had already deteriorated after Canada severed diplomatic ties with Iran over a decade ago.

Cotler has been under round-the-clock protection by the RCMP for over a year, following the October 7, 2023, Hamas atrocities in Israel. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had previously informed him that he was a high-profile target of Iran, a longtime sponsor of Hamas.

The extensive security measures provided to Cotler include bulletproof vehicles, heavily armed officers, and other precautions designed to ensure his safety against potential threats.