B.C. RCMP Launch Murder Investigation After Iranian Activist's Disappearance
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia have initiated a homicide investigation following the mysterious disappearance of an Iranian activist who has been an outspoken critic of Iran's ruling regime. The case centers on Masood Masjoody, a mathematics instructor at Simon Fraser University who went missing in early February in Burnaby.
Search for Body Continues as Police Treat Case as Homicide
B.C. RCMP are actively searching for Masjoody's body while treating his disappearance as a murder investigation. The RCMP's Integrated Homicide Investigations Team (IHIT) has indicated that evidence collected by investigators strongly suggests foul play was involved in the activist's vanishing.
Police have not released specific details about the evidence but confirm they are pursuing the case as a homicide. Investigators believe some of Masjoody's family members and friends possess crucial information about what transpired but have not yet come forward to assist authorities.
Activist's Criticism of Iranian Regime Under Scrutiny
Masood Masjoody was known as an online activist who frequently criticized the Iranian government and its policies. Police are examining whether his political activism concerning events in Iran could be connected to his disappearance and suspected murder.
The International Organisation to Preserve Human Rights has characterized Masjoody's case as a "suspicious disappearance," adding international attention to the investigation.
History of Allegations Against Iranian Influence in Canada
Masjoody repeatedly claimed that individuals and institutions within Canada were connected to or enabling the Iranian regime, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. During his tenure as a mathematics instructor at Simon Fraser University, he identified people he believed had links to Iranian regime programs involving ballistic missile and nuclear-related work.
Citing warnings from former CSIS Director David Vigneault about hostile foreign governments targeting academic institutions for technology transfer, Masjoody raised concerns about Canadian university resources potentially benefiting the Iranian regime.
In a 2021 letter to then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Masjoody detailed Iranian regime programs involved in sensitive engineering and technology fields, warning that technologies developed in Canada could be exported to Iran for nefarious purposes.
Extensive Legal History and Unsubstantiated Claims
Masjoody had a history of extensive civil litigation against various institutions and individuals, including Simon Fraser University, the social media platform X, and members of the Iranian diaspora community. Police have not indicated whether these legal disputes relate to his disappearance.
In 2021, he sued Simon Fraser University and colleagues, alleging a "conspiracy, weaponizing my personal life against me, defamation, and widespread cover-up" that he claimed was enabled by "malicious efforts on behalf of Khamenei's regime." The lawsuit was unsuccessful.
Masjoody also accused British Columbia courts of protecting "agents and enablers of the terrorist Mullahs regime in Iran," asserting that judges and legal processes were shielding individuals he described as IRGC-connected figures. Multiple judges have characterized his legal pleadings as unfounded, "vexatious," or "embarrassing," with no court decisions upholding his claims about Iranian regime infiltration at Simon Fraser University or within the Canadian judiciary.
The investigation continues as authorities seek additional information and evidence regarding Masood Masjoody's disappearance and suspected murder.
