BOSTON — A federal jury in Boston found Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi guilty on three of five charges for conspiring to unlawfully export electronic components to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. The verdict, delivered on July 13, 2026, after four days of jury deliberations, centers on allegations that Sadeghi helped another defendant evade U.S. export control laws.

Sadeghi, a 43-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, was arrested in December 2024 and previously worked at the electronics company Analog Devices. He lost his job there due to the charges and chose not to testify during the trial. He will remain free until his sentencing, scheduled for October 13.

Prosecutors alleged that Sadeghi conspired with Mohammad Abedininajafabadi—referred to in court documents as Abedini—to bypass American export restrictions. Abedini, a second defendant who was not on trial and is believed to be in Iran, runs a Tehran-based company that U.S. prosecutors say manufactures navigation systems for the military drone program of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Authorities stated the scheme involved creating a front company in Switzerland to facilitate the illegal exports.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter told the jury, "At its core, this case is straightforward. You cannot send goods, especially the goods at issue in this case, to Iran. Period. Full stop. The defendant knew that, and conspired with Mr. Abedini to do that." Her colleague, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Dolan, added in closing remarks, "The evidence established that he knew what Abedini was doing because he told him in writing. He helped him anyway."

Sadeghi’s defense attorney, William Fick, argued the prosecution’s case "makes no sense" and was full of holes. Fick told jurors that Sadeghi was only offering advice to a longtime friend about how to get business with a semiconductor company and was not responsible for procuring parts for Abedini. He added, "If you look at the world through dirty glasses, everything looks dirty. That is fundamentally what the prosecution is asking you to do here."

Fick emphasized that prosecutors failed to demonstrate any personal benefit Sadeghi received from the alleged scheme. "He had nothing to gain and everything to lose. He has lived in the country for decades. He was a well-regarded, respected employee on the way up in the company," Fick told the jury. He also noted that prosecutors had not shown Sadeghi gained anything from the alleged plan.

Why It Matters

The case relates to broader U.S. economic sanctions against Iran, which prohibit the export of certain goods, including sophisticated electronic components, without authorization. These sanctions are administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control within the U.S. Department of the Treasury and aim to restrict Iran’s access to technologies that could support military capabilities.

Although an Iranian drone was used in a 2024 attack that killed three U.S. troops in Jordan, prosecutors acknowledged in a February 2026 hearing that they lacked evidence Sadeghi knew the exported technology was used in that attack. A judge had previously ruled that prosecutors could present only general evidence about Abedini’s company and its potential military applications, excluding specific links to the Jordan drone strike.