Canadian Public University Professor to Moderate Webinar Featuring Terror-Tied Speakers
The webinar will be hosted by the International Manifesto Group, a project of the Geopolitical Economy Research Group (GERG), which collaborates with the University of Manitoba
A professor at the University of Manitoba, a publicly funded Canadian institution, is set to moderate an online webinar on August 3, 2025 featuring speakers with apparent ties to the Iranian regime and U.S.-designated terrorist organizations. This discovery highlights ongoing concerns about the potential for faculty to be a vector for the radicalization of students at the school.
Radhika Desai, a professor in the Department of Political Studies, who is the director of the Geopolitical Economy Research Group (GERG), a research institute that collaborates with University of Manitoba faculty, students, and scholars, will moderate the webinar titled "Who Really Won the US-Israeli War On Iran?"
The webinar is hosted by the International Manifesto Group, an international socialist organization that operates as a project of Desai's university-affiliated research institute, with Desai serving as its convener.
The Speakers Under Scrutiny
Sara Flounders
Sara Flounders, co-director of the International Action Center, is a speaker who has associated with the U.S. and Canadian designated terror group, Samidoun. In December 2017, Flounders attended an event organized by Samidoun in New York City to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the U.S. and Canadian designated Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), where she was pictured standing in solidarity with PFLP flags in the background. The event also featured a video message from Leila Khaled, a convicted PFLP hijacker, and included a video discussion from senior PFLP member Khaled Barakat.
Additionally, Flounders is listed on Amazon as an author in the book Palestine and Lebanon at the Crossroads: Occupation and Resistance, which lists other authors closely tied to Samidoun, such as Charlotte Kates, the international coordinator of the group, and Leila Khaled.
Seyed Mohammad Marandi
Seyed Mohammad Marandi, a professor at the University of Tehran, has been characterized as an Iranian regime propagandist and has defended executions of anti-government protesters. Marandi, the son of Alireza Marandi (Ali Khamenei's personal physician), previously served as an advisor on Iran's nuclear negotiating team and publicly stated he would not "shed tears" over the 2022 stabbing of author Salman Rushdie in New York.
Ramzy Baroud
Ramzy Baroud, editor of the U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit The Palestine Chronicle, faces a lawsuit related to former Israeli hostages held by one of the outlet’s Gaza employees after the October 7, 2023 attacks. Baroud celebrated the Hamas massacre on social media and has shared images glorifying PFLP terrorists on his personal Facebook. He is a senior fellow at the Turkish Center for Islam and Global Affairs, led by Sami Al-Arian, previously convicted for financing Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a U.S.-designated terror group.
Hamid Shahrabi
Hhamid Shahrabi, serves as Director of Research and Planning for the Iranian-based NGO, House of Latin America (HOLA), which appears to be involved with developing relations between Iran and Latin American countries. In 2021, the Embassy of Cuba in the Islamic Republic of Iran presented him with a high distinction award by the Council of State and referred to him as an “Iranian solidarity leader.”
In 2016, Shahrabi spoke at a tribute to Fidel Castro, which also featured Hassan Rahimpour Azghadi, a member of the Supreme Council of the Iranian Cultural Revolution and a key figure in Iranian propaganda efforts to push anti-Western and anti-Israel narratives. Azghadi is sanctioned by the Canadian government for his role in actions threatening international peace and committing gross human rights violations.
Shahrabi’s social media includes posts commemorating former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Qassem Soleimani and praising the IRGC. He also published an article in support of Helyeh Doutaghi, who was terminated from her position at Yale Law School due to her membership in Samidoun.
Controversial Webinars & Media Appearances
This webinar in August represents a troubling pattern for the International Manifesto Group, as previous webinars organized by Desai have featured members of U.S.-designated terrorist organizations, including Helyeh Doutaghi from Samidoun and Khaled Barakat, a senior PFLP member.
Although it appears that the event was ultimately postponed, it’s troubling that Radhika and her organization even organized such an event in the first place, particularly given that the event was co-hosted by Samidoun.
Adding to the concerns about Professor Desai's associations, she was recently interviewed by Jackson Hinkle, a pro-Kremlin propagandist who has met with various members of U.S.-designated terror groups. Hinkle, who attended former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's funeral in Lebanon and has met with Hamas leaders and the Houthis, featured Desai on his podcast "Legitimate Targets."
Hinkle promoted the interview on X with the inflammatory post: "BREAKING: US EMPIRE HAS FAILED, CHINA IS RISING," further highlighting the radical nature of the platforms where Desai has chosen to appear.
Event Statement Raises Legal Questions
The August 3rd webinar represents more than an isolated incident of poor judgment—it reflects a systematic pattern of a publicly-funded university faculty member aligning with individuals who have apparent ties to designated terror organizations and Iranian regime propagandists.
The involvement of Desai's university-affiliated research group in hosting such events through its International Manifesto Group project creates a troubling nexus between public educational resources and platforms that amplify extremist narratives. Since GERG provides research and mentoring for students, this event prompts concerns about the potential influence of radical agendas from hostile foreign regimes on their academic development and the university's integrity.
Jewish Onliner reached out to both the University of Manitoba's Media Relations team and the President for comment regarding this matter but did not receive a response.