The Advertising and Marketing Association of Canada is active in Tehran. At an Iranian news conference earlier this month the association’s head, Afshin Nemati, helped spread word that Iran’s government is cracking down on unacceptable haircuts on men. He took questions on news clips shown around the world, explaining what sorts of haircuts will be acceptable in that country.
Nemati claims to live in Toronto and his business website states he has a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from York University. Yet, York does not offer a Doctor of Business Administration, and its registrar’s office has no record of Nemati. Members of Toronto’s Iranian diaspora, including a Toronto man who just learned his phone is listed as Nemati’s contact number, want to know why a group with such a name, and that uses the Canadian flag as its logo, would be advising the Iranian government about acceptable haircuts for men.
The involvement of an apparently fake Canadian organization, especially one without any actual presence here, also concerns York political science professor Saeed Rahnema.
