Iranian National Charged With Illegally Exporting Controlled Goods to Iran
An Iranian national and U.S. resident was arrested for allegedly exporting electronics used in railway signaling and telecommunications systems in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, DOJ announced last week. Bahram Ostovari is charged with one count of conspiring to violate the IEEPA and three counts of violating the IEEPA, facing a maximum prison sentence of 20 years for each count.
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Ostovari is the founder and CEO of an unnamed Iran-based engineering company, "Company A," which supplies signaling and communications systems to the Iranian government for use by the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways, DOJ said. From 2018-2025, Ostovari and others allegedly obtained and exported "sophisticated computer processors, railway signaling equipment, and other electronics and electronic components to Company A."
DOJ said many of these goods required an export license, which Ostovari didn't obtain. Ostovari allegedly used two front companies he controlled in the United Arab Emirates to acquire the components for Company A, DOJ said. Ostovari hid the final destination of the goods from U.S. suppliers, allegedly telling the U.S. companies that the UAE front companies were the end users.