In an escalation of US efforts to block Iran from acquiring sensitive military technology, Gholam Reza Goodarzi, a 76-year-old dual US-Iranian citizen, was arrested at George Bush International Airport.
Goodarzi, a resident of Porter, Texas, also known as Ron Goodarzi, faces charges of smuggling parts critical for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other manned aircraft from the United States to Iran, a move that officials say poses a direct threat to US national security.
According to Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Goodarzi, arrested last Friday, attempted to “For years, the defendant allegedly used proxy destinations to try to smuggle UAV components and other controlled technology to Iran, even concealing controlled items in his own luggage.”
Iran has long sought access to advanced technologies that could enhance its aerial combat capabilities and strengthen its influence across the Middle East, potentially endangering US allies in the region.
US Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas emphasized that the prosecution is part of a broader commitment to enforcing sanctions and holding accountable individuals like Goodarzi.
“Smuggling aircraft parts into Iran endangers U.S. national security by potentially enhancing Iran's military capabilities, enabling them to advance their aerial combat potential, increase regional power and threaten U.S. allies and interests in the Middle East,” Hamdani stated, adding that such actions could advance Iran's regional power and threaten American interests.
Investigators uncovered a trove of evidence implicating Goodarzi, including emails with suppliers and customers acknowledging the difficulty of shipping parts to Iran due to sanctions.
Court documents reveal that from December 2020 through July 2023, Goodarzi illegally exported aircraft parts to Iran, often through Dubai. On several occasions, authorities searched his luggage and found aircraft parts hidden in clothing, some of which were consistent with components for UAVs and other sensitive applications.
Goodarzi, who lacks the required licenses to export such items to Iran, now faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 if convicted.
His case forms part of a broader crackdown on Iranian smuggling networks, with US law enforcement targeting those attempting to supply Tehran with advanced military technology. Just weeks before Goodarzi’s arrest, the Department of Justice indicted two Iranian brothers and a Pakistani national for aiding Iran’s weapons program. In addition, Washing recently announced a $10 million reward for information on Iranian hackers linked to attacks on US infrastructure.
On August 14, the US Department of Justice also charged Jeffrey Chance Nader, a 68-year-old Iranian-American, with attempting to illegally export US aircraft parts to Iran.
Nader was arrested in California, and according to the indictment, he conspired with others to acquire and illegally export nearly three dozen aircraft components from the United States to Iran. Many of these parts are vital for the operation of military aircraft, such as the F-4 fighter jet, which is used by Iran's armed forces.
Despite these efforts, future prisoner swaps between the US and Iran raise concerns about the long-term impact of such prosecutions. In September 2023, a deal involving the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian funds and the release of five Iranians from US custody has prompted questions about whether legal actions like Goodarzi’s arrest will have lasting effects.
Among the Americans freed by Iran was Siamak Namazi, who spent nearly eight years imprisoned in Tehran's infamous Evin prison before his release. Meanwhile, an undisclosed number of dual-nationals remain detained in Iran on fabricated espionage charges, as the regime continues its practice of diplomatic hostage-taking.