A man from Massachusetts has been found guilty of illegally trying to send electronic parts to Iran, which goes against U.S. sanctions.
Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, who worked for Analog Devices, was accused of helping a business associate from Iran bypass American export laws. Prosecutors claim the Iranian company makes navigation systems that are used for military drones operated by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The operation reportedly involved creating a front company in Switzerland.
Another person involved, Mohammad Abedini, wasn’t on trial. He is believed to be in Iran after he was released in a prisoner swap for an Italian journalist.
Sadeghi was convicted on three out of five charges. He didn’t show any visible emotion after the verdict, which was delivered after just four days of jury discussions. He and his lawyers didn’t comment when leaving the courthouse, and he will remain free until he is sentenced on October 13.
At 43 years old, Sadeghi is a naturalized U.S. citizen and a father of two. He lost his job at Analog Devices because of these charges. Although he was arrested in December 2024, his trial took place during ongoing tensions with Iran.
“This case is quite simple: you cannot send goods to Iran, especially those in question here,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter told the jury. She stated that Sadeghi knew his actions were wrong and was working with Abedini.
Closing arguments from Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Dolan highlighted that emails and messages proved Sadeghi was aware of Abedini’s illegal activities and still assisted him.
Sadeghi’s attorney, William Fick, contested the prosecution’s claims, asserting that the allegations didn’t add up and were flawed. He argued that Sadeghi was merely giving advice to a longtime friend and wasn’t responsible for acquiring the parts in question.
“There is no evidence that those parts were sent to Iran, and the Swiss company was not a front,” Fick asserted. He emphasized that Sadeghi had nothing to gain from the alleged plot and had everything to lose, having lived in the U.S. for decades as a respected employee.
The prosecution hoped to present evidence about an Iranian drone tied to a 2024 incident in which three U.S. troops were killed. However, the defense successfully argued to prevent this information from being shared during the trial. The judge ruled that only general evidence about Abedini’s Iranian company could be discussed.
Both men face charges related to export control violations. Abedini is also charged separately with providing support to a foreign terrorist organization linked to the deaths of U.S. service members.
He was arrested in Italy under a U.S. warrant in December 2024 but was released a month later and returned to Iran. Shortly after his arrest, an Italian journalist was detained in Iran and is believed to have been used as leverage for Abedini’s release.
