- Father and son duo accused of illegally providing military technology to the Iranian government, deemed a state sponsor of terrorism by the US.
- Allegations include orchestrating a complex scheme to evade US export laws and attempting to procure various items including aeronautical ground support equipment, UV detectors, and firefighting gear.
- Indictment spans from January 2008 to August 2019, detailing attempts to circumvent US sanctions and export laws, with actions violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and constituting attempted smuggling of US goods and technology to Iran.
An indictment filed on Wednesday in federal court in Brooklyn charges Abolfazl Bazzazi, 73, and his son Mohammad Resa Bazzazi, 43, with conspiring to illegally export US goods and technology to Iran and its government.
Both Abolfazl and Mohammad, who are citizens of Iran, are currently at large. If found guilty, they could face up to 20 years in prison.
The indictment alleges that the Bazzazis orchestrated an intricate scheme to evade US export laws in acquiring equipment and technology for export to Iran’s government. According to US Attorney Breon Peace, the defendants attempted to procure various items, including aeronautical ground support equipment, UV detectors, and firefighting gear.
The Bazzazis served as “managing directors” of an undisclosed Iranian company, as stated in the indictment.
Iran, designated by the US government as a state sponsor of terrorism, has been under scrutiny for its alleged involvement in various conflicts, including the recent clashes involving Iranian-backed Houthis in Jordan, where three US Army personnel were killed.
Assistant Attorney General Olsen emphasized the significance of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force in combating illegal schemes involving the smuggling of sensitive technology, which adversaries could exploit for military purposes.
FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Dugan reiterated the FBI’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for circumventing US export control laws, emphasizing that such actions pose a threat to national security.
The indictment alleges that between January 2008 and August 2019, the Bazzazis and their co-conspirators attempted to evade US sanctions and export laws by acquiring goods and technology from US companies without proper authorization. Their actions violated the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and constituted attempted smuggling of US goods and technology to Iran.
Furthermore, the defendants attempted to conceal the final destination of the goods by using intermediaries in Europe and other locations.
Diplomatic relations between the US and Iran have been strained since 2018, following the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement brokered during the Obama administration. Recent tensions have escalated due to Iran’s support of Hamas and the subsequent conflict involving Israeli forces in Gaza.
