U.S. INDICTMENT OF IRANIAN PROCUREMENT NETWORK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 037319 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2019 TAGS: PARM PREL KNNP MNUC AE SUBJECT: U.S. INDICTMENT OF IRANIAN PROCUREMENT NETWORK Classified By: ISN Philip A. Foley for reasons 1.4 b,c, and d ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 3. -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶2. (U) On April 6, 2009, the Justice Department announced that Baktash Fattahi, an Iranian national, was arrested and charged, along with ten other defendants, with participating in a conspiracy to export U.S.-made military aircraft parts to Iran in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the U.S. Iran Embargo, and the Arms Export Control Act. Two of the ten individuals and two of the three companies named in the indictment are located in the UAE. -------------- ACTION REQUEST AND OBJECTIVES -------------- ¶3. (C) Post is requested to deliver the indictment and press release (sent to Post separately via UNCLASS email) and the points in para 4 to host country officials. Post should encourage the UAE to take appropriate actions, according to its laws, to investigate these entities and their alleged activities. -------------- TALKING POINTS -------------- ¶4. (C//REL UAE) Begin Talking Points: -- On April 3, 2009 Baktash Fattahi was arrested in California, on charges of conspiring to export military aircraft parts to Iran. Federal agents arrested Fattahi at his apartment in Lancaster, California. -- Baktash Fattahi, an Iranian National and a legal U.S. resident, and ten other defendants were indicted on April 2, 2009, by a federal grand jury sitting in Miami, Florida, with conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the United States Iran Embargo, and the Arms Export Control Act for their participation in a conspiracy to export U.S.-made military aircraft parts to Iran. -- Also charged in the Indictment were defendants Amir Hosein Atabaki, an Iranian national, Mohammad Javad Mohammad Esmaeil, an Iranian national, Abbas Haider, an Indian citizen residing in Dubai, Mohammed Javid Yahya Saboni, an Iranian national residing in Dubai, Reza Zahedi Pour, an Iranian national, Mahdi Electronic Trading Co, an Iranian business, Planet Commercial Brokerage, a Dubai business, Raht Aseman Co, Ltd, an Iranian business, Sahab Phase, an Iranian business, and Sea Speed UAE, a Dubai business. -- According to the Indictment, defendants made arrangements for the sale and shipment of parts for combat aircraft and attack helicopters to one of several defendants in Dubai. From Dubai, the parts were then shipped on to Iran. -- Mehrdad Farhadi is the owner of Planet Commercial Brokerage LLC. Planet Commercial is now called Planet 5 (or Five). Behnam Fattahi is Baktash's brother and is also assisting Atabaki with shipments in to Iran. -- All States should exercise extreme vigilance to prevent Iran form acquiring the parts and components of advanced weapons systems that could contribute to regional instability. -- The United States encourages you to take any appropriate action under your legal authorities to investigate the activities of Abbas Haider, Mohammed Javid Yahya Saboni, Mehrdad Farhadi and Behnam Fattahi, and shut down Planet Commercial Brokerage (a/k/a Planet 5) and Sea Speed UAE. End talking points. -------------- REPORTING DEADLINE -------------- ¶5. (U) Please report response within ten working days of receipt of this cable. Please include SIPDIS in all responses. STATE 00037319 002 OF 002 -------------- POINT OF CONTACT -------------- ¶6. (U) Department point of contact for follow-up is Chris Herrington ISN/CPI 647-5035. CLINTON