BOSTON — Two men, including a dual Iranian-American citizen, have been indicted for conspiring to export sensitive technology to Iran linked to a drone attack that claimed the lives of three U.S. troops in Jordan earlier this year. The Justice Department made the announcement on Monday.
The arrests were made after FBI analysts traced the drone’s navigation system back to an Iranian company associated with one of the defendants. This individual allegedly utilized components and technology supplied by his co-conspirator.
“We often discuss the theoretical risks of American technology falling into dangerous hands,” stated U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy. “Unfortunately, this situation is far from hypothetical.”
The defendants have been identified as Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, employed at a Massachusetts semiconductor firm, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, who was apprehended in Italy as U.S. authorities pursue his extradition.
Prosecutors allege that Abedininajafabadi, also referred to as Adedini in legal documents, has extensive ties to the Iranian government. His Tehran-based firm is said to manufacture navigation systems for Iran’s military drone program, and he allegedly collaborated with Sadeghi to evade U.S. export control laws, even establishing a front company in Switzerland to facilitate the transfer of sensitive technology into Iran.
Sadeghi, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was arrested in Massachusetts and has been ordered to remain in custody following an initial court appearance.
Both men face charges relating to violations of export control laws, with Abedini also charged with conspiring to provide material support to Iran.
The January 28 drone attack that resulted in the deaths of Georgia soldiers — Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, Sgt. Breonna Moffett, and Sgt. Kennedy Sanders — targeted a U.S. outpost in northeastern Jordan known as Tower 22. U.S. officials attribute the attack to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which includes Iran-backed militia groups like Kataib Hezbollah.
It’s reported that the drone used in the assault may have been mistaken for a U.S. drone that was expected to return, leading to its crash into living quarters, ultimately killing three soldiers and injuring over 40 others.
In light of these recent developments, U.S. Attorney Levy expressed hope that the charges would provide a sense of justice for those affected by the attack and their families.
At the time of the drone attack, Tower 22 housed approximately 350 U.S. military personnel and is strategically located near the borders of Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Following the incident, the U.S. launched extensive counterstrikes against 85 sites in Iraq and Syria linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and its affiliated militias, while also enhancing the base’s defenses.
