An Ottawa student has been flagged as a security threat for research useful in Iran's weapons program

Mohammadreza Pakatchian said he chose to study aerospace engineering at Carleton University because it was a “good opportunity” to improve his skills and knowledge.

In a letter of acceptance to the Iranian, Carleton University offered him a scholarship, while the MP's office spoke with immigration officials about his student visa.

But Canada's national security agencies don't like the 41-year-old student.

They have flagged Pakatchian as a security threat, warning that he is conducting studies that will improve the Islamic Republic's weapons systems.

Declassified intelligence reports obtained by Global News allege that Pakatchian works for an Iranian company that has been sanctioned for its role in weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

He is also associated with an Iranian academic whose research focuses on missiles and other military technology, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service said.

In addition, Pakatchian received his master's degree from an Iranian university known for its work on uranium enrichment, nuclear weapons installation and missile guidance, the CSIS report said.

When he completes his studies in Ottawa, CSIS added, Pakatchian intends to return to the same accredited Iranian company that employs him to apply what he has learned.

According to national security reports, Pakatchian, who said he began his studies at Carleton online in 2023, “represents a danger to the security of Canada.”

His research interests “have the potential to be used for nefarious purposes,” added the Canada Border Services Agency in its report on Pakatchian.

“The knowledge he will acquire through his studies can be used to contribute to the development of Iran's military and weapons systems,” the statement said.

On February 17, immigration officials wrote that if Pakatchian continues to pursue his PhD at Carleton, “technology acquired in Canada will likely be transferred and used to advance Iran's WMD programs.”

Pakatchian did not respond to emails, and his lawyer declined to comment, saying he did not have his client's permission to speak.

CBSA and CSIS declined to comment on the case.

And Carleton University has not responded to questions about why it accepted a doctoral student employed by an accredited Iranian company.

The American-Israeli war that began in February showed that the Iranian military has accumulated a large number of missiles and drones.

While the thousands of missiles Iran launched during the conflict were not state-of-the-art, they were a step beyond what they had previously used.

“The performance of Iran's missiles, and drone systems for that matter, in the war of 2026, was better than what we have seen in the past,” said Prof. Thomas Juneau.

A Middle East expert at the University of Ottawa, Juneau said many of Iran's missiles failed when they were launched against Israel in 2024.

“There is a trend toward improved accuracy, but also toward reliability,” said Juneau, who teaches in the School of Public and International Studies.

Matthew Levitt, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, agreed that Iran's drones and missiles appeared to be “significantly improved” during the latest war.

“The authorities have long been concerned that Iranian scientists studying abroad may be trying to fill gaps in knowledge or parts of these programs,” he said.

Juneau said he was not aware of Pakatchian's case, and that the Iranian may have been studying in Canada for legitimate purposes.

“But it's equally possible that he could be here for the specific purpose of returning to Iran to work on something directly or indirectly related to the missile or drone program,” he said.

“We know Iran is doing that.”

However, the deal that US President Donald Trump is negotiating to end the war is silent on missiles, and he said last week that it would not be “fair” not to allow Iran to possess the weapons.

When Pakatchian first applied to do his PhD at Carleton University in 2022, the professor not only said he was “happy” to accept him but also offered him an $8,000 scholarship.

The money was described as a way to pay for high tuition fees for foreign students, according to Pakatchian's immigration file, released to Global News.

Records also show that Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi's office spoke with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada officials about Pakatchian's student visa.

Carleton University is part of Naqvi's Ottawa Center riding.

The MP's staff said in a statement sent to Global News that boarding offices regularly assist voters with immigration issues but are “not aware” of information from CSIS or CBSA.

Records show the MP's office dealt with Pakatchian's case in July 2023 – four months after security officials identified Pakatchian as a security risk.

Marked Secret/Canadian Eyes Only, the documents describe international efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining the technology and materials needed to build large-scale weapons.

The CBSA wrote that in 2018, Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action established in 2015 to stop Iran's nuclear program.

In response, Tehran resumed “proliferation activities, including stockpiling large amounts of enriched uranium and installing more centrifuges,” the CBSA wrote.

Trump's action left the sanctions as the remaining ban on most of Iran's weapons, and among the agencies targeted was MAPNA, where Pakatchian has worked since 2009.

Canada had sanctioned MAPNA under the Special Economic Measures Act in 2016, citing the company for “serious violations of international peace and security.”

Pakatchian is MAPNA's designer of axial compressors, which power jet engines and are used in both commercial and military applications, according to the CBSA.

When he applied for a student visa to attend Carleton, he named Mahmoud Mani, a professor at Amirkabir University in Tehran, as a reference.

Mani's research is “unequivocally and heavily focused on military end applications,” such as missile aerodynamics, rocket engines and ballistic missiles, CSIS said.

In Carleton's aeronautical engineering department, Pakatchian had chosen as his academic supervisor a professor who conducted research involving military aircraft and drones, CSIS added.

“This is a great opportunity for me because of the mechanical engineering infrastructure and faculty members at Carleton,” Pakatchian wrote in a letter to Canada's immigration department.

“Therefore, when I return to my country, I will be able to use the knowledge I gained in this field to improve my current work by using new artistic methods,” he wrote in another book.

But in its report on Pakatchian, the CBSA wrote that “the transfer of intangible technology that could advance Iranian military programs” is a security threat to Canada.

If Pakatchian is “allowed to pursue his studies in Canada, an invisible transfer of technology and knowledge may occur that may improve Iran's military programs and capabilities,” the agency wrote.

Pakatchian's immigration records indicate that he arrived in Canada in 2023, the same year he began his studies at Carleton and co-authored a paper with one of the university's professors.

His current whereabouts are unknown, but in May, he filed a lawsuit in Federal Court seeking an injunction forcing the government to issue a decision on his student visa.

He also wanted $10,000 to compensate him for the delays he said he faced while waiting for his visa. The judge rejected his request on June 9.

Michael Armstrong, an associate professor at Brock University's Goodman School of Business, said many Canadian universities accept Iranian graduate students.

Although he was not aware of Tehran's weapons development efforts, he said Iran's missiles have proven to be a strategic success.

“The latest war has shown that Iran's missiles have been less accurate than expected, but they are good for their strategy,” said the Royal Military College graduate.

“If your target is a large area like a city, an oil refinery, or an airfield, much less precision is required than targeting a specific plane, building, or bridge,” he said.

While many were intercepted, others hit populated areas, and drones shot down in Arab countries were more accurate, Armstrong said.

Disrupting Iran's missile program is of particular importance to Canada, given Tehran's downing of a passenger jet carrying Canadians six years ago.

On Jan. 8, 2020, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missile that shot down Ukrainian Airlines Flight PS752 killed 85 Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

CSIS said it was working with Canadian companies to prevent Iran from obtaining the information it needed to develop advanced weapons.

In its 2024 report, CSIS wrote that it is “actively investigating efforts to procure Canadian technology” to further Iran's weapons programs.

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