BOSTON — The Justice Department announced on Monday that two individuals, including a dual Iranian-American citizen, face charges related to a conspiracy aimed at exporting sensitive technology to Iran. This technology has been implicated in a drone strike in Jordan that resulted in the deaths of three American servicemen and injuries to numerous others earlier this year.
The arrests occurred after an investigation by FBI experts discovered that the navigation system of the drone used in the attack was linked to an Iranian firm run by one of the suspects, who allegedly utilized components and technology supplied by his co-defendant, according to court documents.
U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy, the chief federal prosecutor in Massachusetts, commented during a press conference regarding these charges, stating, “We often refer to hypothetical risks when discussing the threats posed by American technology falling into dangerous hands. Unfortunately, in this instance, this is not a theory.”
The individuals charged have been named as Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, who is said to be employed by a semiconductor company in Massachusetts, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, who was apprehended in Italy on the same day the charges were made public. The Justice Department is currently pursuing his extradition back to Massachusetts.
Prosecutors allege that Abedininajafabadi, referred to as Adedini in some legal filings, has extensive ties to the Iranian regime. It is claimed that his company, based in Tehran, produces navigation systems for military drones used by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. He is said to have collaborated with Sadeghi to bypass U.S. export laws, allegedly even setting up a front company in Switzerland to facilitate the transfer of sensitive technology into Iran.
Sadeghi, who has become a naturalized citizen of the United States, was arrested in Massachusetts and has been ordered to remain in custody following his initial court appearance. His attorney has not yet responded to requests for commentary.
Both individuals face charges related to violations of export control laws; additionally, Abedini is charged with conspiring to support Iran materially.
The drone strike on January 28 targeted a U.S. base in northeastern Jordan known as Tower 22, resulting in the deaths of three soldiers from Georgia: Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, Sgt. Breonna Moffett, and Sgt. Kennedy Sanders. U.S. officials have attributed the attack to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of militias supported by Iran, including Kataib Hezbollah.
It is believed that the drone, which was intended for a one-way mission, was misidentified as a U.S. drone that was also scheduled to return around the same time, thus it was not intercepted. The drone eventually crashed into living quarters, leading to the three fatalities and injuring over 40 personnel.
Levy expressed hope that the charges would serve as a form of justice for those affected by the attack, remarking, “To those injured, and to the families grieving the loss of loved ones, I sincerely hope today’s actions provide some measure of accountability.”
At the time of the attack, Tower 22 housed approximately 350 U.S. military staff. This strategic site is situated near the borders of Jordan and Syria, a mere 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Iraq. Following the surge in assaults on U.S. military installations in the area, especially after Hamas’s attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military actions in Gaza, Iranian-backed militias increased their operations against U.S. forces.
In response to the drone strike, the U.S. conducted a significant counterattack against 85 locations in Iraq and Syria associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and its allied militias, while simultaneously enhancing the defenses at Tower 22.
