UK Charity Trustee Linked to Sanctioned Iranian Morality Council Fights 12-Year Ban

Ahmad Vaezi, identified as a member of a sanctioned Iranian morality body and head of an Iranian propaganda organization, is contesting a 12-year ban that would prevent him from serving as a charity trustee in the UK. A tribunal heard that Mr. Vaezi has attempted to conceal his connections to the Iranian regime. He holds positions as the head of the Islamic Propaganda Office (IPO), a member of Iran’s Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution (SCCR), and the representative of Iran’s supreme leader for European student affairs.

The SCCR was subjected to sanctions in 2023 due to its role in enforcing morality laws, a crackdown that followed the death of Mahsa Amini in prison after her alleged violation of headscarf regulations. Mr. Vaezi is appealing the Charity Commission's decision to disqualify him from his role as a trustee of the Al-Tawheed Charitable Trust.

Adrian Francis, the Charity Commission's lawyer, argued before the tribunal that Mr. Vaezi's close ties to the Iranian regime inherently render him unfit to be a charity trustee. Mr. Francis also stated that Mr. Vaezi has attended events supporting Hezbollah and Hamas, both designated as terrorist organizations by the UK. The commission's stance is that a charity should not be associated with a regime of such poor repute, as it damages the charity and the broader charity sector.

According to Mr. Francis, Mr. Vaezi attempted to hinder the watchdog's investigation by deliberately hiding his links to the Iranian regime. He is also accused of misleading and obstructing the commission regarding events at the Al-Tawheed premises in West London, and of turning a blind eye to extremist activities involving students and others connected to the London property. Mr. Francis further alleged that Mr. Vaezi dishonestly withheld information about his regime connections and then lied about his reasons for non-disclosure when confronted.

The tribunal was informed that a group named the Islamic Student Associations of Britain (IASL), affiliated with the Union of Islamic Associations of Students in Europe, reportedly organized a remembrance event for Qassem Suleimani, the former head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force. The IASL allegedly live-streamed events featuring current and former IRGC officers, including Gen Saeed Ghasemi, in 2020 and 2021. During these streams, Gen Ghasemi reportedly made false claims about the Holocaust and encouraged British students to target