Two men have been indicted on charges related to an alleged scheme to export advanced electronic components from the United States to Iran. Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, a dual U.S.-Iranian national residing in Natick, Massachusetts, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, also known as Mohammad Abedini, from Tehran, face several counts including conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR).
Abedini is additionally charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death. This follows a drone attack on January 28, 2024, at Tower 22 military base in northern Jordan where three U.S. service members were killed. The drone involved was identified as an Iranian Shahed UAV using a navigation system manufactured by Abedini’s company.
Both men were arrested on December 16, 2024. Sadeghi was detained in Massachusetts while Abedini was apprehended in Italy pending extradition to the United States.
According to court documents, Abedini manages San’at Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak Co. (SDRA), an Iranian company that produces navigation modules for drones used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Sadeghi worked for a microelectronics manufacturer in Massachusetts and co-founded another tech company specializing in wearable sensors.
The indictment alleges that Sadeghi traveled to Iran seeking funding for his U.S.-based company from the Iranian National Elites Foundation. After securing funds, he established another company in Iran which later contracted with SDRA.
It is claimed that since around 2016, Sadeghi has assisted Abedini in obtaining U.S. export-controlled components for use in Iran through Illumove SA—a front company based in Switzerland—to acquire these goods.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jared Dolan and Alathea Porter are leading the prosecution alongside other trial attorneys from various divisions of the Department of Justice. The case is being coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force aimed at preventing critical technology acquisitions by hostile entities.
The allegations outlined are yet to be proven in court as both defendants are presumed innocent until found guilty beyond reasonable doubt.