American Citizen Born in Iran Sentenced to Prison for Violating U.S. Sanctions

An American citizen born in Iran has been sentenced to five years in prison for ignoring U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic and trading with the country. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the 71-year-old individual violated U.S. International Emergency Economic Powers Act by exporting goods and equipment related to energy to Iran. The Justice Department stated that Abdul Rahman Hantoush, from 2015 until his arrest in the fall of 2022, conspired with two Iranian companies based in Tehran to illegally send American-made industrial equipment to Iran, which was used in Iran's oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. He exploited transportation companies and intermediaries in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, and made payments through Emirati banks using 'deceptive actions.' The Justice Department announced on March 7 that the convicted individual is named Abdul Rahman Hantoush, also known as Rahman Hantoush and Rahman Natoushas, but his official name had been changed to 'Rey Hunt.' Prim Scalona, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, stated that Rey Hunt confessed this summer to conspiracy to export American goods to Iran, which is contrary to U.S. sanctions against Iran. Rey Hunt registered a company named 'Vega Tools' in the spring of 2014 in Alabama, describing its business as buying and selling recovery equipment for the energy sector. His company was located in Madison, Alabama. According to the Justice Department, Rey Hunt claimed he was exporting goods to Turkey and the UAE while knowing that their ultimate destination was Iran. He was convicted of misleading both suppliers and shipping companies involved in sending these products through fraud and conspiracy. The Justice Department noted that Rey Hunt also traveled to Iran in the spring of 2020 and lied to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers about the nature of his business. The FBI, in a joint investigation with the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice, had interrogated Rey Hunt. The counterintelligence and export control section of the Department of Justice was also a partner in this investigation. The conviction of the American citizen born in Iran for violating sanctions is one of many such cases in recent years. The Trump administration intensified sanctions against Iran during its five-week return to power.