Dual U.S.-Iranian National Arrested for Supplying U.S. Tech to Iran Nuclear and Military Programs

LOS ANGELES — A dual U.S.-Iranian national who serves as CEO of an Iran-based technology company was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with sanctions violations for acquiring sophisticated U.S.-origin networking, security, and encryption equipment on behalf of Iranian customers that include the regime’s nuclear and military establishment.

The arrest, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, targets a single individual but illustrates the reach of U.S. export controls. The defendant is accused of supplying equipment that directly supports Iran’s nuclear activities and military operations, sectors subject to comprehensive U.S. sanctions that prohibit virtually all unlicensed trade in U.S.-origin goods and technology.

Prior to the arrest the defendant operated with relative freedom to source restricted items through front companies and transshipment networks. The complaint alleges that pattern has now been interrupted by federal agents. The charges were filed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the primary statute enforcing U.S. sanctions on Iran.

The arrest triggers several immediate operational consequences. Federal prosecutors must now present evidence to a grand jury for indictment within the standard 30-day window or seek an extension. The defendant faces potential asset forfeiture proceedings tied to any U.S. accounts or property linked to the alleged scheme.

Iranian end-users who received the equipment will find replacement parts and updates harder to obtain, forcing them either to seek non-U.S. alternatives or accept degraded capabilities in their networks.

The case also activates standard interagency processes: the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security will review whether additional export-control designations or Entity List additions are warranted for companies identified in the complaint, while Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control may add parties to the SDN list.

This arrest forms part of the Justice Department’s ongoing enforcement of Iran sanctions. The department has brought multiple cases in recent years targeting procurement networks that funnel dual-use American technology to Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic-missile development, and military units under U.S. sanctions.