American Judge Approves Dismissal of Charges Against Iranian

A judge in a New York court has agreed to dismiss charges against an Iranian accused of attempting to violate sanctions. This judge had previously not agreed to the prosecution's request to dismiss charges against "Alireza Moazami Goudarzi" within the framework of a prisoner exchange between the two countries on the brink of implementing the nuclear agreement. According to Reuters on Saturday, February 19, Judge Kevin Castle had earlier this month asked the prosecution to clarify its argument that dismissing the charges against this Iranian was "in the interest of U.S. foreign policy." In response, the prosecution stated that the prisoner exchange agreement with Iran was a one-time deal that led to the release of Americans imprisoned in Iran. The prosecution referred to the release of four dual-national Iranians and one American, including Jason Rezaian, Ali Hakmati, and Saeed Abedini, who were imprisoned in Iran on charges of espionage and actions against national security, in exchange for canceling the arrest request for 12 Iranians accused of circumventing sanctions outside the U.S. Alireza Moazami Goudarzi was also one of the defendants included in this deal, which was announced and executed on January 16, just hours before the implementation of the nuclear agreement (JCPOA) in Vienna. The Obama administration also agreed to pardon seven Iranian prisoners in the U.S. for crimes or charges related to violating sanctions. Alireza Moazami Goudarzi was tried in absentia in November 2012 in a Manhattan court, accused of attempting to "illegally export spare parts for military and civilian aircraft" to Iran and money laundering. Mr. Goudarzi was arrested in Malaysia at the request of the U.S. government in October of that year, but the Malaysian government opposed his extradition to the U.S. and released him. Reuters reports that the prosecution had stated that there was "no real possibility" of arresting and extraditing this Iranian to the U.S. Judge Kevin Castle, in his ruling to dismiss the charges against Alireza Goudarzi issued on Friday, February 18, stated that he was convinced by the explanations of the case investigators that "the executor of U.S. foreign policy is the executive branch, not the judiciary." With this ruling, the only legal challenge in the U.S. regarding the Obama administration's prisoner exchange agreement with Iran has been resolved.