Turkish Merchant Appears in Court Accused of Exporting American Goods to Iran

A merchant from Istanbul, Turkey, appeared in court on Monday, December 11, accused of the "illegal" export of American goods and violating U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic. According to the Associated Press, the federal prosecutor stated in court that the merchant, named Rashid Tavan, assisted in the illegal export of engines and generators manufactured in Wisconsin. The indictment claims that he sent these goods for use by the Iranian Navy. The report states that Mr. Tavan, 40, was arrested last summer in Romania following the issuance of an international arrest warrant by the U.S. The Associated Press quoted the defendant's lawyer as saying that he has denied the charges in court and will work to prove his innocence. The federal prosecutor referenced the 1995 trade sanctions law during Bill Clinton's presidency, stating that the defendant did not obtain special permission to bypass these sanctions. The indictment also mentions that the defendant attempted to export the engines and generators first to Turkey and then from there to Iran. The United States declared Iran subject to unilateral trade sanctions in 1995, which have been renewed annually since then.