The controversy surrounding Iranian-Canadian Liberal MP Majid Jowhari is growing more heated. Jihad Watch has reported in past that Jowhari went so far as to sponsor a petition in 2016 that gained over 5,600 signatures, calling upon the government of Canada to re-establish diplomatic ties with the Iranian regime after the previous Conservative government cut off those ties in September 2012 over concerns regarding Iranian espionage in Canada. Jowhari’s pro-Iranian stance disturbed many members of the Canadian Iranian community who oppose Iran’s Islamic regime. They sent a joint letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, stating that they did “not want to be represented by someone [Jowhari] who is ‘working in the interest of a foreign country’” and that “he should keep distance from those engaged in crimes against humanity.” As reported by the Liberal Richmond Hill news: “Iranian expatriates say they are worried a terrorist organization is being welcomed into Canada and may even be infiltrating the country with ‘spies’ with support from a local politician.”
To make matters worse, Jowhari roiled his own community over his blatant support for the Iranian regime when he tweeted:
“As our government is closely monitoring the ongoing protests in Iran; it is my sincere hope that the brave nation of #Iran have the opportunity to air their legitimate financial, social and political concerns with the support of their elected government, in a secure environment and without the fear of persecution.”
Brave? Elected government? Last month, Iran murdered up to 200 protesters. Now it’s getting much uglier for Jowhari, as he now denies new allegations from Alireza Sassani, a journalist on the Iran-e-Farda network, who stated that “he has worked with and accepted money from Iran’s government.”
As CBC reported, “Sassani is described as a close collaborator of Masoud Molavi, an Iranian intelligence agent who defected and revealed details of Iranian influence operations overseas.” Molavi was then shot dead in Istanbul in mid November and the U.S. government “blamed his assassination on Iran’s intelligence services.”
Sassani then mentions Majid Jowhari:
“Masoud talked to me about someone by the name of Majid Jowhari. He’s a member of the Parliament of Canada. He’s from the Liberal Party, representing Richmond Hill……He said that Jowhari was in touch with some of the intelligence officers of Iran, and that he even visited the representatives of Taeb and Mojtaba Khamenei. He even received financial support from these people. Now he’s been elected in Canada for a second time.”
Kaveh Shahrooz, a lawyer, human rights activist, and Senior Fellow with Macdonald Laurier Institute’s Centre for Advancing Canada’s Interests Abroad, also weighed in about Majid Jowhari on his Facebook page:
Nothing seems to be setting off enough alarms as Jowhari, despite the worrying information released over time about him, was once again elected just over two months ago in the riding of Richmond Hill in the Greater Toronto Area. This is despite a petition which outlines Jowhari’s infractions and calls for his removal from Parliament.
“‘False and unfounded’: Liberal MP denies claims that he’s worked with Iran,” by Evan Dyer, CBC News, December 18, 2019:
A Liberal MP is denying allegations, broadcast on an Iranian-language television network, that he has worked with and accepted money from Iran’s government.
“These accusations are absolutely false and unfounded,” Majid Jowhari told CBC News in a written statement. “I strongly deny any accusations.”
The allegations against the member of Parliament for Richmond Hill were made by freelance journalist Alireza Sassani on the program Window on the Homeland on the Iran-e-Farda network.
CBC News has not been able to independently verify Sassani’s claims.
Sassani is described as a close collaborator of Masoud Molavi, an Iranian intelligence agent who defected and revealed details of Iranian influence operations overseas.
Molavi was shot dead on the streets of Istanbul on November 14. He had been granted asylum in Turkey after fleeing Iran and had set up a digital channel, BlackBox, which he used to broadcast revelations about corruption and wrongdoing within the Iranian regime.
The U.S. government blamed his assassination on Iran’s intelligence services.
Describing Iranian government influence operations in other countries, Sassani said that “Masoud talked to me about someone by the name of Majid Jowhari. He’s a member of the Parliament of Canada. He’s from the Liberal Party, representing Richmond Hill.
“He said that Jowhari was in touch with some of the intelligence officers of Iran, and that he even visited the representatives of Taeb and Mojtaba Khamenei. He even received financial support from these people.
“Now he’s been elected in Canada for a second time.”
Hossein Taeb is the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) intelligence division. Mojtaba Khamenei is a son of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and is sometimes described as head of the Basij militia, a pro-regime force that is heavily involved in suppressing protests in Iran……