Two individuals, including an Iranian-American citizen, face charges for allegedly conspiring to export sensitive technology to Iran that was used in a deadly drone strike on a U.S. base in Jordan, which claimed the lives of three American soldiers in January 2024.
The accused are Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, a U.S. citizen working at a semiconductor company in Massachusetts, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi (also known as Adedini), who operates a Tehran-based company tied to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard drone program. U.S. prosecutors allege the pair used front companies to bypass U.S. export controls and transfer technology critical for Iran’s drone navigation systems.
The drone strike, which occurred at Tower 22, a U.S. outpost near the Iraq-Jordan border, killed three Georgia-based soldiers and injured over 40 personnel. The attack is attributed to Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an alliance of Iran-backed militias, including Kataib Hezbollah.
Following the incident, U.S. forces launched retaliatory strikes against Iranian militia sites in Iraq and Syria and increased defensive measures at the base. Prosecutors emphasized the charges as a step toward accountability for the attack’s victims and their families.
Both defendants are charged with violating export controls, while Abedininajafabadi additionally faces charges of conspiring to provide material support to Iran. Sadeghi has been detained in Massachusetts, and extradition proceedings are underway for Abedininajafabadi, who was arrested in Italy.
Tags:
Iran-backed militias, drone strike, U.S. troops killed, Tower 22, Iranian technology, export control violations, Islamic Resistance in Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah, Jordan, U.S. military retaliation, sensitive technology smuggling, Iran Revolutionary Guard