Washington, DC - Peyman Amiri Larijani, 33, a citizen of Iran and former resident of Istanbul, Turkey, was charged in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in two separate indictments.  The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia and Assistant Secretary Nazak Nikakhtar of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

A 34-count indictment returned on April 22, 2015, charges Larijani and a Turkish based company, Kral Havacilik IC VE DIS Ticaret Sirketi (Kral Aviation), with conspiracy to acquire U.S. origin aircraft parts and goods to supply to entities and end-users in Iran, to conceal from United States companies and the U.S. government that the U.S.-origin goods were destined for Iranian aviation business end users, to make financial profit for defendants and other conspirators, and to evade the regulations, prohibitions, and licensing requirements of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

“The Department is committed to vigorous enforcement of the sanctions placed on Iran for its oppressive and destabilizing behavior,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers.  “The indictment charges the defendant with conspiring to equip an Iranian airline that has been designated for supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp, a key instrument of the Iranian regime’s belligerent activity.  Sanctions evasion weakens the power of sanctions to change Iran’s behavior and makes us all less safe.”

“Our export laws are in place to prevent the shipment of goods to hostile countries and to keep items out of the hands of people who intend to harm the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.  “We will continue to aggressively prosecute those who violate our export control laws to protect the national security of the United States.”

“The Trump Administration will apply maximum pressure on Iran to end its promotion of instability and terrorism worldwide,” said Assistant Secretary Nikakhtar.  “Mahan Air represents a continuing significant threat against United States and its allies.  We will use all of the tools at our disposal to bring to justice those who threaten our way of life and violate our laws.”

According to the indictment, beginning around December 2010 through July 2012, Larijani was the Operations Manager for Kral Aviation.  Larijani and his co-conspirators purchased U.S.-origin aircraft parts and accessories from U.S. companies.  Larijani and his co-conspirators wired money to banks in the United States as payment for these parts and concealed from U.S. sellers the ultimate end use and end users of the purchased parts.  Larijani and his co-conspirators caused these parts to be exported from the United States to Istanbul, Turkey, before shipping to airlines in Iran including Mahan Air, Sahand Air, and Kish Air.

Mahan Air has been designated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury as a Specially Designated National (SDN) for providing financial, material and technological support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force.  The Department of Commerce has placed Mahan on its Denied Parties List and Kral Aviation on the Entity List.

On March 15, 1995, the President, pursuant to IEEPA, issued Executive Order No. 12957, finding that “the actions and policies of the Government of Iran constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States” and declaring “a national emergency to deal with the threat.”  In subsequent Executive Orders, the President imposed economic sanctions, including a trade embargo, on Iran.  The Executive Orders and the ITSR prohibit the exportation, re-exportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, to Iran of any goods, technology, or services from the United States or by a United States person without prior authorization or license from the United States Department of the Treasury, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, located in Washington, D.C.

A four-count indictment returned on Oct. 6, 2016, charges Larijani along with Mahan Air, Kral Havacilik IC VE DIS Ticaret Sirketi (Kral Aviation), Toufan Amiri Larijani, Javad Rajabi, Mehdi Bahrami, and Ghodratollah Zarei with conspiracy to export U.S. goods to Iran, specifically U.S. origin commercial aircraft engines, and provide services to a Mahan Air, a SDN, and to defraud the United States; and the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Commerce; unlawful exports and attempted exports to embargoed country and provision of services to an SDN; willful violation of denial order; and conspiracy to commit money laundering for purchasing a U.S. origin aircraft engine to supply to Mahan Air in Iran without obtaining an export license.

According to the indictment, beginning around April 2012 through September 2012, Larijani and his co-conspirators attempted to acquire U.S. origin aircraft engines to supply to Mahan Air in Iran without obtaining a license or other authorization from the United States.  Larijani and his co-conspirators caused the shipment of an aircraft engine from the United States with the express purpose of re-exporting the aircraft engine to Iran. 

If convicted, Larijani faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment.

The investigation was conducted by special agents from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security Office of Export Enforcement, Miami Field Office/Atlanta Resident Office and Washington Field Office. 

The details contained in an indictment are mere allegations.  All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.