Arrest of Three Iranian-Americans in California on Charges of Violating Sanctions Against Iran

The U.S. Department of Justice has temporarily detained three Iranian-American businessmen in California on charges of violating sanctions against Iran. In a statement released by the Northern District of California prosecutor's office on Friday evening, the names of the three individuals, Sadr Emad Vaez, Pouran Azad, and Hassan-Ali Mashir Fatemi, were mentioned. The arrests followed investigations by the Department of Commerce, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Internal Revenue Service. According to the statement, the three individuals reside in Tehran and California and are accused of purchasing auto parts from various countries, including the U.S., and delivering them to their company in Tehran, named 'Green Continent Technology.' Based on the U.S. Department of Justice statement, the three businessmen face three charges: 'serious violation of regulations related to sanctions against Iran,' 'attempt to violate export control laws' (both under the so-called IEEPA law), and 'smuggling.' The penalty for each of the first two crimes is up to twenty years in prison and a one million dollar fine, while the penalty for smuggling is a maximum of ten years in prison and a $25,000 fine. According to the same report, Sadr Emad Vaez and Pouran Azad were arrested at their residence in Northern California, while Hassan-Ali Mashir Fatemi was arrested earlier this month at San Francisco Airport, and all three have been released on bail. The charges were presented on Friday, and the first hearing regarding their charges is scheduled for July 11, about three months from now. No reports have emerged regarding the defendants' reactions or their lawyers, but the statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice included the usual phrase that: 'An indictment merely alleges that a crime has occurred, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.'