Iranian citizen pleads guilty to violating US sanctions in New York court
An Iranian citizen who was extradited to the United States after being arrested in Europe pleaded guilty on Thursday, September 27, to participating in the circumvention of U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
The US Department of Justice issued a statement on Thursday, September 28, announcing that Behzad Pourqanad "pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to export carbon fiber from the United States to Iran between 2008 and 2013."
Pourghnad was arrested in Germany on May 3, 2017, and was extradited to American authorities in New York last July for trial.
Carbon fiber is used in the missile industry, space engineering, and uranium enrichment centrifuges.
US officials have repeatedly warned that the US will sanction any prohibited trade with Iran.
For example, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently said that humanitarian services and emergency needs can be provided to Iran under current sanctions, but that when the relationship goes beyond that, it may fall under the scope of the sanctions imposed. At the same time, he warned that Washington would respond to any violation of the sanctions.
Previously, Brian Hook, the US State Department's special representative for Iran, also said in an interview with the Persian service of the Voice of America that there is no problem if trade with Iran is within the framework of the US's humanitarian transaction exemptions; but at the same time he warned that the US will sanction transactions that are subject to sanctions.
Source: Voice of America
