Two Men Charged in US with Supplying Iran with Drone Technology Used in Deadly Attack
A dual Swiss-Iranian citizen and a naturalized US citizen of Iranian origin have been arrested and charged by US authorities with conspiring to export sensitive technology to Iran that was allegedly used in a deadly drone attack on US forces in Jordan, Al Jazeera reports.
Mohammad Abedininajafabadi (also known as Mohammad Abedini), 38, co-founder of an Iranian-based company, and Mahdi Sadeghi, 42, an employee of Massachusetts-based semiconductor manufacturer Analog Devices, were charged on Monday with violating US export laws.
The charges stem from a January drone attack on a US military outpost near the Syrian border, which killed three US soldiers and wounded 47 others. US authorities allege that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed fighters, carried out the attack.
Abedini, arrested in Milan, Italy, at the request of the US government, is expected to face extradition proceedings. Sadeghi, who resides in Natick, Massachusetts, was arrested domestically.
According to US Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, the two men are accused of conspiring to circumvent US sanctions and provide Iran with drone navigation technology used in the attack. Federal prosecutors in Boston detailed how Abedini, through his Iranian company SDRA, allegedly used a Swiss front company to procure US-made accelerometers and gyroscopes from Sadeghi at Analog Devices. These components, crucial for drone navigation systems, were then sent to Iran.
The Justice Department’s statement alleges that Sadeghi assisted Abedini in acquiring export-controlled electronic components on multiple occasions since 2016. Sadeghi was ordered detained pending a further hearing, deemed a flight risk by prosecutors. His lawyer has not yet commented publicly. A lawyer for Abedini has not been identified.
Analog Devices confirmed Sadeghi’s employment and stated their cooperation with law enforcement, reaffirming their commitment to preventing unauthorized access and misuse of their technology.
The case is being handled by the US government’s Disruptive Technology Strike Force, which focuses on preventing sensitive technology from falling into the hands of hostile nation-states.
