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