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Federal Jury Convicts Iran Citizen for Conspiring to Violate US Trade Embargo

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - A federal grand jury has convicted an Iranian national, Mehrdad Ansari, of conspiring to illegally export sensitive military items, in violation of US-imposed trade restrictions, the Department of Justice announced.
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"A federal jury convicted an Iranian citizen and a resident of the United Arab Emirates and Germany, for scheming to obtain military sensitive parts for Iran in violation of the Iran Trade Embargo," the Justice Department said on Friday.

The federal jury convicted Ansari on one count of conspiracy to violate the Iran Transaction Regulations, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the Treasury Department and two counts of aiding and abetting the making of false statements, the Justice Department said.

The scheme, which took place between 2007 and 2011, involved obtaining various military parts from companies worldwide valued at approximately $2.6 million and attempting to ship the parts to Iran without notifying the companies of their end destination or getting the required US government license to ship them, the Justice Department added.

Ansari is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1 and faces up to 40 years in prison on all charges, according to the Justice Department.

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