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Azer’s former wife, Alison, has been frantically searching for her children: 11-year-old Sharvahn; Rojevahn, 9; Dersim, 7; and Meitan, 3. In August, the RCMP issued an arrest warrant for Saren Azer on charges of abduction after he failed to return from a trip to Europe with his children.

The abduction of the Azer children has sparked debate in the House of Commons and prompted vigils across Canada. On Wednesday, a vigil was held in Montreal, with those attending calling on the federal government to take action to aid in the return of the Canadian youngsters. Another vigil will be held in Vancouver on May 7.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said the return of the children is a priority for his government.

After he left Europe, Saren Azer took the children to a village in Kurdistan in Iraq, just kilometres away from ongoing fighting. It is unclear when he took the children to live in Iran.

Alison Azer said she has received emails from residents in Mahabad, informing her the children have been seen in public and that they are under the care of her former husband’s mother, Aysheh Pendareh, and two of his sisters, Shahla Mahmudi-Azer and Maheen Mahmudi-Azer.

“Saren is trying to integrate into Iranian society,” Alison said.

But Saren Azer’s return to Iran raises new questions about his refugee claim that prompted Canada to award him citizenship. After arriving in Canada in 1994, Azer denounced the Iranian government and claimed his life was in danger if he were ever to return to that country. Azer also claimed to have been tortured by the Iranian government.