Virginia Man Sentenced To 24 Months For Exports To Iran

The seal of the United States Department of Justice is seen on the building exterior of the United States Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, New York City, August 17, 2020.
The seal of the United States Department of Justice is seen on the building exterior of the United States Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, New York City, August 17, 2020.

The United States Department of Justice has sentenced a man to prison for shipping heavy equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions.

Jalal Hajavi, a 60-year-old resident of Sterling, Virginia, was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his involvement in a scheme to export industrial goods from the United States to Iran. The shipments were routed through the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and he had a co-conspirator located in Iran, according to the statement released Thursday.

Hajavi was convicted by a jury in September 2023 for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), smuggling, and unlawfully exporting and reexporting goods to Iran without a license.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division said, “Mr. Hajavi illegally shipped industrial equipment to the Iranian regime, smuggled restricted goods through the UAE to Iran, and caused a shipping company to submit false information to the US government.”

According to Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod, “Shipping items to Iran is against the law, regardless of whether done directly or by way of a third country.”

“Hajavi’s conduct was particularly egregious because he was previously informed on at least two occasions that his conduct was prohibited,” saidUS Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia.