Two charged with illegal sales to Iran

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Two men from Pennsylvania and Maryland have been indicted on charges they illegally conducted business with Iran, federal authorities said Monday.

Laurie Magid, acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, said in a statement that Mohammad Reza Vaghari, 41, of Broomall, Pa., and Mir Hossein Ghaemi, 42, of Edgewood, Md., were both charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In addition, Vaghari is charged with three counts of violating the act, trying to obtain U.S. citizenship by fraud and possessing immigration documents procured by fraud.

The participated in illegal business transactions with Iran from about 2002 to the present, prosecutors allege. The defendants are accused of buying items form American companies through a Pennsylvania corporation called Saamen Co. and exporting them to the United Arab Emirates where co-conspirators would deliver the goods to Iran.

If convicted of all charges, Vaghari faces up to 85 years in prison and a $3.75 million fine. Ghaemi could be imprisoned for up to five years and fined $250,000, if found guilty.