US-Iranian dual national charged with evading sanctions

A dual US-Iranian citizen has been charged by federal prosecutors in the US, who accuse him of plotting to illegally transport high-tech equipment to Iran. 

Kambiz Attar Kashani was charged on Friday with conspiring to transport the tech between February 2019 and June 2021, in breach of the US sanctions imposed on Iran. 

“As alleged, Kashani orchestrated an elaborate scheme to evade US export laws and use the US financial system in procuring US electronic equipment and technology for the Central Bank of Iran,” United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace said.

“The defendant allegedly used two United Arab Emirates companies as fronts to procure items from multiple US technology companies, including a company in Brooklyn,” he added.  

According to the Department of Justice, Kashani intended to secure the technology for the Central Bank of Iran, which the US has designated as acting on behalf of terrorist organisations. 

“We believe Mr. Kashani profited financially by strengthening the economy of one of the world's most infamous state sponsors of terrorism, while circumventing critical US laws designed to protect our national security interests,”  FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Joseph Bonavolonta explained in a statement.

It is not known which companies were allegedly used in the conspiracy, but according to Newsweek they provide, “ program that allows large organisations to develop and deploy proprietary, internal-use applications to their employees,” in addition to open-source products, cloud infrastructure, as well as radio frequency and microwave equipment.

The US re-imposed sanctions on Iran in 2018, following the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. 

Since the election of Joe Biden as president, the US and Iran have been engaged in indirect talks, aimed at restarting the agreements, in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

Kashani has been remanded in custody pending a detention hearing.