Iran’s Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Ensieh Khazali has denied reports about her son’s immigration to Canada that caused uproar among the Iranian community.

In a series of tweets on Wednesday, Khazali claimed that her son, Hamidreza Rezazadeh, is on a temporary business trip abroad aimed at enhancing the country’s “knowledge-based sector,” in reference to the Supreme Leader’s call for a knowledge-based economy. 

Ali Khamenei designated the new Iranian calendar year as the year of knowledge-based productivity and job creation. He has been designating slogans for each year in the past decade, such as “Leap in Production”. Iranian officials and organizations try to portray their activities as if they are in line with the Khamenei-designated motto.

Khazali added that her son never planned immigration, “although he is married and independent,” and criticized those who spread the rumor, noting that “Fortunately, the job project is near completion and he will return to the country in the coming months.” 

“Undoubtedly, [efforts] to lay the foundation for knowledge-based activities in the country stem from patriotism,” she said

Calling for her dismissal, university professor and political activist Rahmatollah Bigdeli said, “If I were in Mr. Raisi’s shoes, I would fire Mrs. Khazali not because of her son's stay in Canada, but because of this kind of ridiculous abuse of this year’s designation by the Supreme Leader.”

In early August, an official criticized the high number of “senior officials” whose relatives are living abroad, confirming that there are over 4,000 sons and daughters who have left Iran.