BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IRANIAN national Alireza Moghadam, who in 2013 was the centre of St. Kitts and Nevis passport scandal, is no longer a holder of the Federation’s diplomatic passport.
The announcement came yesterday (Dec. 10) in Parliament by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Patrice Nisbett, after Opposition Parliamentarian Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris claimed that Moghadam was still the holder of a diplomatic passport.
“How come Alizera Moghadam got a diplomatic passport and still has it, I am told? What is the nature of his service to the country and what has he provided us for those services?” Dr. Harris asked.
In response, Nisbett disclosed that Moghadam was no longer the holder of a diplomatic passport of this country.
“I would like to state to the Honourable Member for Number Seven and the country that Mr. Moghadam is no longer a holder of a diplomatic passport.”
Harris then indicated that he was happy to receive such news, as the matter was questioned in a recent release by civil society groups.
“You see why this debate is important? Because even in the release by civil society, the civil society asked that question and nobody answered until today, but we are happy for the answer.”
He also questioned another issue involving St. Kitts and Nevis passport holder Arthur Porter.
“Mr. Speaker we also need to know what is the situation with Mr. Author Porter. Could we know about this situation?”
No one had provided an answer to that question, including the Foreign Affairs Minister.
Moghadam made headline news when he entered Canada on a St. Kitts and Nevis passport, claiming to have official business with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
It was reported that neither Harper’s Office nor Canadian High Commission in Trinidad or Barbados knew anything of any diplomat by the name of Moghadam and they had no record of any appointment for a Mr. Moghadam from Iran.
It was also reported that Canada then discovered that Moghadam was an economic citizen of St Kitts and Nevis, and border officials quoted him as claiming to have paid one million dollars for his passport.
