The Justice Department on Friday said an Iranian, carrying the British nationality, has pleaded guilty for exporting advanced weapons from the United States to Iran.
Meanwhile, an indictment was unsealed charging four individuals with the same offense, as well as related offenses.
In a statement, the Department said that according to his plea, Saber Fakih, 46, of the UK, conspired with Bader Fakih, 41, of Canada, Altaf Faquih, 70, and Alireza Taghavi, 46, to export and attempt to export an Industrial Microwave System (IMS) and counter-drone system from the United States to Iran, without first obtaining the requisite license from the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
It said Saber Fakih pleaded guilty to count two of the indictment.
The statement added that in 2017 and 2018, the co-conspirators attempted to export to Iran items that had potential civil and military uses.
Fakih faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of $1 million for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
“Fakih and his coconspirators attempted to evade US sanctions and obtain highly sensitive pieces of equipment for Iran from unwitting US suppliers,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
“In doing so, Fakih jeopardized not only US national security, but the national security of any other nation Iran decides to target. The Department of Justice can and will act to disrupt and prosecute such criminal conduct.”
Meanwhile, Special Agent in Charge Nasir Khan of the US Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement, Washington Field Office, said “this investigation illustrates that our adversaries are willing to utilize complicated procurement networks and blatantly disregard US export control laws to acquire sensitive dual use items for potential military purposes.”
The list of indictments against Faikh and his partners revealed that for over 40 years, Iran has continuously attempted to obtain sanctioned items that could be used against Americans or its allies.
In this regard, Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division pledged that the FBI, along with its federal partners, will persist in thwarting these attempts and do its part to keep US democracy safe.
In addition, a related indictment was unsealed in the District of Columbia charging Iranian national Jalal Rohollahnejad, 44, with smuggling, wire fraud and related offenses arising from the same scheme.
The indictments allege that Rohollahnejad and Taghavi hold themselves out as representatives of Rayan Roshd Asfzar, which has been linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
