Canada closes embassy in Iran

(AP) The Canadian government says it is shutting its embassy in Tehran and severing diplomatic relations amid recent attacks on foreign diplomats in Iran.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Friday that the Canadian embassy in Tehran will close immediately and Iranian diplomats in Canada have been given five days to leave.

He says he's worried about the safety of diplomats in Tehran following recent attacks on the British embassy there.

He's also warning Canadians to avoid traveling to Iran.

Baird says Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism and has been spreading anti-Semitic hatred.

People seeking Canadian consular services in Iran are being directed to the country's embassy in Turkey.