Canadian government awarded $2 million contracts to son of former Iranian vice president
Canada granted roughly $2 million in defence and police contracts to Sal Ghafouri, whose father was Iran’s former vice president and who allegedly helped develop IRGC weapons.
A recent investigation uncovered that Sal Ghafouri, who runs two Alberta companies, secured roughly $2 million in government contracts from Canada’s defence and law-enforcement agencies. He is the son of former Iranian vice president Hassan Ghafouri Fard and was identified in a declassified CSIS report as having participated in the development of Iranian military hardware for the IRGC, such as guided anti-aircraft missiles and electronic jamming tools.
After moving to Canada in 2013, he continued business activities while maintaining contacts with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security. Immigration officials flagged him for national-security reasons in 2017, yet he still obtained procurement deals with the Department of National Defence and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The government only notified him in May 2026 that his ties precluded citizenship, and his firms kept receiving public funds. Authorities are still reviewing his case.
Why it matters
The story raises concerns about security vetting and the use of public funds for contracts linked to individuals with alleged ties to foreign military programs.
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