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Canada Awarded Contracts to Iranian Vice-President’s Son Despite Missile Program Investigation
🇨🇦 Canada /Conflict & Security

Canada Awarded Contracts to Iranian Vice-President’s Son Despite Missile Program Investigation

From Global News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Documents & data Under investigation
  • Canadian authorities awarded more than $2 million in contracts to companies run by Mohammad Reza Ghafouri Fard, who operated in Canada under the name Sal Ghafouri.
  • A declassified CSIS report alleges Ghafouri helped Iran develop missile and electronic-warfare technology and evade sanctions through a covert procurement network.
  • The contracts included work for the RCMP and Department of National Defence, while records also show Ghafouri joined a trade mission and received government support.

Canadian authorities awarded more than $2 million in federal and provincial contracts to an Edmonton businessman who allegedly helped Iran develop military technology and evade sanctions, documents obtained by Global News show.

The businessman, publicly known as Sal Ghafouri, founded two companies in Alberta and secured contracts from agencies including the RCMP and the Department of National Defence. He also joined an official Canadian trade mission to Latin America, received a federal business grant and was invited to propose legislation during Alberta government consultations.

confront American aircraft

— Canadian Security Intelligence Service reportThe report describes the alleged purpose of an Iranian military jamming tool that Ghafouri helped develop.

Recently released records identify Ghafouri as Mohammad Reza Ghafouri Fard, an Iranian national and the son of Hassan Ghafouri Fard, a former Iranian vice-president. A declassified Canadian Security Intelligence Service report says he worked as an engineer for four years at Iranian company Rabi Kosar, whose products were sold to SA Iran, an affiliate of Iran’s Ministry of Defence.

admitted to active participation in procurement activities that benefited the Iranian military, including the IRGC

— Canadian Security Intelligence Service Security Screening BranchThe agency’s report characterizes Ghafouri’s alleged role in procurement for Iran’s military and Revolutionary Guard.

CSIS alleges Ghafouri participated in the development of a guided anti-aircraft missile system and a jamming tool intended to “confront American aircraft” for Iran’s military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The report also describes a covert procurement structure that used a Southeast Asian front company to obtain components unavailable to Iran because of sanctions.

The agency said Ghafouri “admitted to active participation in procurement activities that benefited the Iranian military, including the IRGC.” It added that he “clearly indicated that he did not care that these activities were prohibited.” After immigrating to Alberta through a skilled-worker program, he returned to Iran in 2015 and met twice with members of the Ministry of Intelligence and Security. In one meeting, the report says, he provided details about his employment in Canada and answered questions about travel to the United States and contacts with Canadian or American intelligence services.

clearly indicated that he did not care that these activities were prohibited

— Canadian Security Intelligence ServiceThe report describes Ghafouri’s alleged response to the sanctions-related procurement activities.
About this summary

Originally published by Global News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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