Staff Reports
A federal jury in Boston found Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi guilty this week of violating U.S. export controls and Iran sanctions. The verdict, reached after a 14‑day trial, centered on charges that Sadeghi conspired to ship American microelectronic parts to Iran. Sentencing is set for October 13, 2026, before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani.
The verdict and what it signals
The jury convicted Sadeghi on three counts: one count of conspiracy under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), and two counts of violating those laws. Prosecutors say the case shows the Justice Department’s hard line on sanctions evasion. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg both said the work was meant to protect national security. FBI Boston’s Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks also warned other would‑be traffickers that the bureau is watching.
How prosecutors say the scheme worked
According to the government, Sadeghi used his access at a Massachusetts microelectronics firm and his startup ties to funnel accelerometers, gyroscopes and inertial measurement units through a Switzerland front company. Those parts, prosecutors say, feed navigation systems used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The co‑defendant tied to the Iranian firm that bought the tech, Mohammad Abedini, remains at large. Authorities link the parts to SDRA’s Sepehr navigation system, which has been flagged as useful for drones and missile guidance.
Defense claims and legal limits
Defense lawyers told the jury this was ordinary business and that Sadeghi had no reason to ruin his career for illicit work. The judge limited the government’s ability to tie the exports to a specific deadly drone strike to avoid unfair prejudice, and prosecutors did not prove Sadeghi knew parts were used in any particular attack. Still, each conviction carries serious exposure under federal export laws—potentially years in prison—so the sentencing hearing in October will matter a lot.
Call it a wake‑up for corporate America and anyone tempted to cut corners with sanctioned regimes: Washington means business when it comes to export controls. This conviction is a clean reminder that American tech used in foreign weapons programs won’t be a back‑alley commodity forever. The law caught up with Sadeghi, and now the judge will decide how loudly that lesson is broadcast on October 13, 2026.
