Iranian National Convicted for Illegally Exporting Dual-Use Items to Iran

Iranian national Mehrdad Ansari, a resident of the United Arab Emirates and Germany, was convicted by a federal jury for exporting sensitive military items to Iran in violation of the Iranian Trade Embargo, the Department of Justice said in a May 7 news release. Ansari transshipped dual-use civilian and military goods using his company, Gulf Gate Sea Cargo, located in the UAE, during 2007-2011. In this period, Ansari obtained or attempted to obtain more than 105,000 parts valued at $2.6 million, representiing more than 1,250 transactions, DOJ said. None received an export license from the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control or the Commerce Department. The goods could be used in systems for nuclear weapons, missile guidance, secure tactical radio communications, offensive electronic warfare, military electronic countermeasures, and radar warning and surveillance, DOJ said.