U.S. Charges Two Men with Exporting Sensitive Technology to Iran Linked to Deadly Drone Attack in Jordan

In a significant legal development, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Monday that it has charged two men for allegedly exporting sensitive technology to Iran, which was purportedly used in a drone attack that killed three American service members in Jordan earlier this year.

Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, a dual U.S.-Iranian national residing in Massachusetts, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, the co-founder of an Iranian company with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), have been accused of conspiring to violate U.S. export laws. Abedininajafabadi was arrested in Italy, and the U.S. is seeking his extradition, while Sadeghi was arrested in Massachusetts.

The charges stem from an incident in January where a drone strike at the Tower 22 military outpost in Jordan resulted in the deaths of three soldiers and injuries to more than 40 others. The attack was attributed by U.S. officials to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a group backed by Iran.

According to the Justice Department, the technology in question included navigation systems manufactured by Abedininajafabadi’s company, SDRA, which were integrated into the drones used in the attack. Both men are charged with export control violations, and Abedininajafabadi faces additional charges of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, specifically the IRGC, which is designated by the U.S. as such.

U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy, addressing the media, expressed hope that the charges would bring some measure of justice to the families of those affected by the attack. “These charges today underscore that the Department of Justice will not cease in its effort to seek justice for servicemembers who were killed and harmed overseas,” Levy stated.

This case highlights the ongoing concerns regarding technology transfer to countries like Iran, which faces U.S. sanctions, particularly when such technology can be used in military applications. The arrests and subsequent charges also signal the U.S. government’s commitment to enforcing export controls and safeguarding national security interests.

The legal proceedings continue, with both defendants potentially facing severe penalties, including up to 20 years for export violations and life imprisonment for providing material support to a terrorist organization. The case will be closely watched as an example of how international law enforcement cooperation can address threats from technology proliferation.