Ottawa is at the centre of new pressure for an investigation into how the son of a former Iranian vice-president won federal government contracts. Four advocacy groups, the Iranian Canadian Legal Professionals, Canadians for Democracy in Iran, Iran Justice Collective and Iranian Women Organization of Ontario, sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney demanding a probe into how Mohammad Reza Ghafouri Fard obtained the work.
Who Is Ghafouri
Ghafouri, who has been living in Alberta and goes by "Sal Ghafouri," is 45 years old and is the son of Hassan Ghafouri Fard, an Iranian politician who served as the country's vice-president. He arrived in Canada in 2013. Since founding two companies in Alberta, he has received more than $2 million in federal and provincial contracts, including work awarded by the RCMP and the Department of National Defence.
The Ottawa Angle
The RCMP confirmed it awarded a contract to Ghafouri's company, Melanite Group, in 2019 to purchase a borescope device and provide training, but said no security requirements were attached to that contract. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada confirmed it awarded Melanite Group a 2021 contract for scientific equipment used in type approval testing of measuring devices, and a $15,000 grant in 2024 under the Canadian Digital Adoption Program's Boost your Business Technology Stream. The Canadian military awarded Ghafouri two contracts worth more than $1.5 million combined, plus a separate $50,000 contract to supply road motor vehicles.
National Security Concerns
The scrutiny follows allegations from CSIS that Ghafouri helped develop a guided anti-aircraft missile system and a jamming tool intended to confront American aircraft, work allegedly done for Iran's military and the Revolutionary Guard. In May, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada told Ghafouri it had initiated proceedings to refuse him citizenship on the grounds he posed a security threat to the country. Ghafouri has suggested government agencies were not sharing information with one another about his file.
Groups Push For Accountability
Beyond the joint letter to Carney, the Abraham Global Peace Initiative, headed by activist Avi Benlolo, separately demanded an independent investigation. "We demand an immediate independent investigation, full public accountability, and reform of Canada's security-screening and contracting systems," the group said.
What Happens Next
No federal department has announced a formal review in response to the letter, and it is not yet known whether Ottawa will act on the groups' demands. The case adds to broader questions about how Canada vets contractors with links to sanctioned foreign governments, particularly where defence and security-related purchasing is involved.
Sources: Global News, Global News
