Center for Iranian Studies
Tehran’s Toronto front: The Canadian government responds
The Iranian chargé d’affaires was called in by Foreign Affairs today to discuss the “Center for Iranian Studies,” an institution in Toronto that describes itself as a non-governmental organization promoting Iranian culture and scholarship.
More on Iranian efforts to establish networks in the West
The Australian reports on allegations that the Iranian embassy in Canberra spies on Iranian pro-democracy activists in Australia.
Professor promoted by Iranian government ‘study centre’ has his say: “I am absolutely against the Iranian fascist dictatorship regime.”
Mahdi Tourage is among three scholars and a director promoted by an Iranian government-linked institution in Toronto that portrays itself as non-partisan study centre. The “Center for Iranian Studies” on Sheppard Ave. W. was founded by Iran’s former cultural attaché in Ottawa and is still funded by the embassy here. On its website, it links to departments at the University of Toronto, McGill, and Concordia – although it has no affiliation with any of them. Of the four individuals it promotes, three – Richard Foltz, Soheil Parsa, and now Mahdi Tourage – have confirmed that they have nothing to do with the centre. It’s a safe bet that the fourth doesn’t either.
Tehran’s Toronto franchise (updated)
Iranian academics demand transparency from Toronto’s Center for Iranian Studies