The US Department of Justice has charged two Iranian nationals and an Iranian company in connection with an international scheme to illegally obtain American technology for use in Iranian military drones, the FBI announced on Tuesday.
Parts that had been procured through the scheme were reportedly found in a drone used by Russian forces in Ukraine.
The unsealed criminal complaint accuses Hossein Akbari, 63, and Reza Amidi, 62, along with Rah Roshd Company, of conspiring to violate US export laws, providing material support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and engaging in money laundering. The IRGC is classified by the US as a foreign terrorist organization.
"Today's charges lay bare how US-made technology ended up in the hands of the Iranian military to build attack drones," said Justice Department's National Security Division head, Sue J. Bai. "The Justice Department will continue to put maximum pressure on the Iranian regime. We will relentlessly dismantle illicit supply chains funneling American technology into the hands of Iran's military and terrorist organizations and pursue those complicit in operations that threaten our country."
Both Akbari and Amidi are Iranian citizens who are currently at large.
A drone is seen during an Iranian Army exercise dubbed 'Zulfiqar 1400', in the coastal area of the Gulf of Oman, Iran, November, 2021 (credit: TASNIM NEWS AGENCY)
A drone is seen during an Iranian Army exercise dubbed 'Zulfiqar 1400', in the coastal area of the Gulf of Oman, Iran, November, 2021 (credit: TASNIM NEWS AGENCY)
Akbari is the current CEO of the Rah Rashd company and Amidi is the company's commercial manager and was previously the commercial manager of Qods Aviation Industries (QAI), an Iranian state-owned aerospace company, according to the FBI.
"As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to obtain US-origin parts needed to manufacture drones for military use in Iran and send those parts to Iran in violation of export control laws," US Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York said. "The charges filed today demonstrate the commitment by my office and our law enforcement partners to dismantle illicit supply chains and prosecute those who unlawfully procure US technology in support of a foreign terrorist organization.
"The IRGC and QAI have been core players in the Iranian military regime's production of drones, which threaten the lives of civilians, US personnel, and our country's allies. These charges should serve as a warning to those who violate US export control laws and who unlawfully seek to aid Iran's drone program."
How were they initially caught?
According to court documents, the men used their company to acquire sensitive American-made drone components under false pretenses. The company allegedly served as a procurement front for Iran's Defense Ministry, the IRGC, and other military-linked drone manufacturers.
Between January 2020 and now, the defendants worked to acquire US-origin parts for Iranian drones, including the Mohajer-6, which has been used in numerous regional conflicts. Notably, one such drone was shot down in 2022 by the Ukrainian Air Force and was found to contain parts manufactured by several American firms, including one based in Brooklyn, New York.
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The US Department of Justice stated that the accused used shell companies and false identities to mask the end-users of the technology. Email correspondence cited in the investigation revealed the use of spoofed accounts and aliases in communications with suppliers, including companies in China and the United Arab Emirates.
The charges highlight a broader effort by the Iranian regime to avoid international sanctions in support of its growing drone program, which has been linked to operations in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and now Ukraine.
The investigation also uncovered a letter from the IRGC praising Rah Roshd's role in developing drone components, including servo motors, and reinforcing Iran's self-sufficiency in military manufacturing. The letter quoted Iran's Supreme Leader, stressing the importance of domestic production to "disappoint the enemies of the Islamic Republic."
Amidi and Akbari are also accused of facilitating payments through front companies in the UAE to Chinese suppliers, using US correspondent banks to route transactions - a violation of federal law.
In coordination with the criminal charges, the US Treasury Department announced a new round of sanctions targeting six entities and two individuals based in Iran, the UAE, and China who are involved in supplying drone components to Iran's QAI, a key actor in Iran's military drone program.
These measures form part of the Trump administration's broader strategy to increase economic pressure on Tehran, including efforts to halt Iranian military support to Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The case is being handled by the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York in cooperation with the DOJ's Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency initiative designed to prevent hostile regimes from accessing American technology.
The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.