The assistant director of public affairs of the Bahai National Spiritual Assembly of Canada in Toronto provided the following information on the above subject during a telephone interview on 12 October 1994.

Bahais are prohibited from any involvement in partisan politics, including hiding anti-government pamphlets for friends. Because of the current political situation in Iran, Bahais, who are subject to ill-treatment and fear being accused of espionage by the Iranian government, "scrupulously" observe this religious requirement. The spokesperson stated that it would not make sense for someone to call himself/herself a Bahai, making him/her subject to ill-treatment, if he/she did not believe in a basic concept of the religion such as the prohibition of any type of involvement in partisan politics.

Referring to the situation of Bahais in Iran, the attached Times article states that
[w]ith 350,000 followers in Iran, Baha'is are the country's largest religious minority, yet they are still branded a political sect, despite the fact that they avoid any form of political involvement and are under instruction to obey the government (26 June 1993).

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Bahai National Spiritual Assembly of Canada, Toronto. 12 October 1994. Telephone interview with assistant director of public affairs.

The Times [London]. 26 June 1993. Mark Jolly. "Too Good for Hanging." (NEXIS)

The Times [London]. 26 June 1993. Mark Jolly. "Too Good for Hanging." (NEXIS)