Author: Kamran Malekpour | Original Publication Date: 2026/01/22 | Source: Republished from Hafta Magazine
Author’s Note (Exclusive Introduction for Personal Website)
This report is part of my series of investigations into the presence of former managers and figures affiliated with the Islamic Republic on Canadian soil. The case of “Saeid Kardar” is an example of the complexities within the immigration and oversight systems, illustrating how individuals with high-level managerial backgrounds in specific institutions navigate the path to citizenship. This content is republished here for better audience access and as part of an archive of investigative reports.
The Report
The Ambiguous Fate of Saeid Kardar: Iranian State Manager on the Path to Canadian Citizenship
He holds the helm of the most well-known petrochemical company of the Islamic Republic: Iran Petrochemical Commercial Company (PCC). This company was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2018 and is considered one of the primary financial arms of the Islamic Republic. In 2024, the reputable Financial Times revealed in a detailed report that PCC provides the bulk of the financial resources for the Quds Force, the overseas branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Saeid Kardar, who has held numerous managerial positions and was previously the Vice President of Islamic Azad University, immigrated to Canada approximately three years ago. Although Kardar and his family are now residents of West Vancouver—one of Canada’s most affluent neighborhoods—he continues to manage the Iran Petrochemical Commercial Company. This comes despite the law passed in September 2024 in Canada, which states that senior officials of the Islamic Republic serving after 2003 are ineligible for residency and living in Canada.
To read the original Persian version of this report, please visit the source via the following link:
https://hafteh.ca/news/7573/سعید-کاردار-مدیر-دولتی-ایران-در-راه-شهروندی-کانادا
