Indictment Against Iranian-American in Case of Selling Aircraft Parts to Tehran

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the arrest of Jeffrey Chance Nader, an Iranian-American citizen, and the issuance of an indictment against him for attempting to sell aircraft parts to the Islamic Republic. According to a statement released by the U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday, August 15, Mr. Nader, 66, residing in California, was arrested the previous day in this state, and an indictment was issued against him today for violating U.S. sanctions. The statement claims that Mr. Nader and his associates are accused of conspiring to illegally purchase and export four types of U.S.-made aircraft parts to Iran. The report states that some of the mentioned parts are used in military fighter jets, including U.S.-made F-4 jets. The U.S. Justice Department adds that this indictment reflects the department's commitment to preventing the Iranian regime from accessing military equipment. The statement, published on the U.S. Department of Justice website, specifies that Mr. Nader and his associates have been conspiring since at least 2023 to purchase and export 32 U.S.-made aircraft parts to Iran. This dual-national citizen coordinated with his business partners in Iran to purchase the necessary parts through his company, Pro Aero Capital, based in California, and falsely identified U.S.-based suppliers as the end-users of this equipment. The statement adds that after purchasing the parts, Mr. Nader attempted to transit them to Iran in separate shipments but was arrested by a special agent from the U.S. Department of Commerce, preventing any parts from reaching the Islamic Republic. Matthew Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the Department of Justice, stated that today's action demonstrates the department's commitment to keeping military equipment out of the hands of the Iranian regime. He remarked, 'We will vigorously investigate, disrupt, and hold accountable criminal networks that violate U.S. sanctions, supplying sensitive technologies to hostile and repressive governments.' The statement further notes that Iran's attacks and its proxy forces against U.S. allies in the Middle East, along with the ongoing supply of drones and other military technologies from Iran to Russia for use in the illegal invasion of Ukraine, underscore the reason for our extensive efforts to prevent the Islamic Republic from obtaining U.S.-made military parts.