Iran's UN Representative Advisor Accused of Violating US Sanctions

On Wednesday, March 23, U.S. prosecutors in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charged Ahmad Sheikhzadeh, an advisor to Iran's UN delegation, with violating sanctions against Iran. According to Reuters, Steve Zissou, Sheikhzadeh's 60-year-old lawyer, stated that his client is accused of sanctions violations, money laundering, and tax issues. Zissou mentioned that Sheikhzadeh pleaded not guilty to the charges in court. U.S. District Judge Palma Chen issued a $3 million bond for Sheikhzadeh after prosecutors expressed concerns about the possibility of him seeking asylum at the Iranian mission or leaving the country. He has been temporarily released from Brooklyn jail on a $3 million cash bail and will be monitored by electronic devices as ordered by judicial authorities. The indictment against him states that Sheikhzadeh, along with two accomplices in the U.S., violated U.S. sanctions against Tehran by promoting investment schemes in Iran. The indictment emphasizes that Sheikhzadeh did not inform the U.S. Treasury Department about his business relations with Iran, thus violating regulations concerning the control and restriction of economic relations between the two countries. According to prosecutors' documents, he violated sanctions against Iran from October 2007 to May 2013 while actively participating in financial transactions with Iran. Sheikhzadeh's defense attorney stated that his client is 'a patriotic American.' Zissou added that Sheikhzadeh's work at the Iranian UN mission has always aimed to create a bridge for establishing relations between Iran and the U.S. so that the two countries can live in peace and friendship. He expressed regret that this indictment would hinder Sheikhzadeh's goals and reduce the likelihood of his aspirations being realized in the future. The Iranian government’s UN mission has not yet reacted to this event. Tali Farhadian, an assistant U.S. attorney, told the judge that Sheikhzadeh collaborated with a hostile government. Reuters reports that, based on documents released by the court, Sheikhzadeh was arrested three weeks ago. After the initial court hearing on Wednesday, Zissou stated that they would vigorously fight these charges. Meanwhile, reports of the charges against Iran's UN representative advisor come as Reza Zarrab, a Turkish-Iranian businessman, was arrested in Florida on charges of directing hundreds of millions of dollars to help circumvent U.S. sanctions against the Iranian government and other individuals and entities. The U.S. Attorney's Office states that these three individuals; Zarrab (33), Jamshidi (29), and Najafzadeh (65), assisted the Iranian government and individuals in circumventing imposed restrictions using their financial and commercial network during the sanctions.