Iran tells citizens Canada's dangerous

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TEHRAN, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- The Iranian government warned its citizens Wednesday that Canada is a dangerous place and advised against travel there.

The Tehran Times quoted Foreign Ministry officials as saying there were anti-Iranian criminal groups in Canada laying traps for Iranians, the QMI Agency reported.

Iran also said there was police violence against civilians, an apparent reference to riots in Montreal this year by students opposed to tuition hikes.

Statistics show there has been little tourist travel between the two countries for years, but the Globe and Mail noted there is such a large number of dual-citizen Iranian-Canadians in Toronto, it is referred to as "Tehranto."

The Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper initiated the hostilities by issuing a "red" advisory that said "Avoid all travel" to Iran, the newspaper said.

Canada also pulled its diplomats from Iran, expelled Iranian Embassy officials and froze Iranian assets in Canadian banks as Iran stepped up its nuclear proliferation and called for Israel to be wiped from the map.

Also Wednesday, before Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could address the U,N. General Assembly, the Canadian delegation stood up and left, as did the U.S. delegation.