Two Charged for Supplying Technology in Iran-Backed Drone Strike Killing U.S. Troops

Two men face charges for exporting sensitive technology to Iran, which was reportedly used in a lethal drone strike in Jordan this past January. On Monday, the Department of Justice announced that the strike resulted in the deaths of three U.S. soldiers and left dozens more injured.

The defendants, Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, a semiconductor worker from Massachusetts, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, an Iranian manufacturer of navigation systems associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, are charged with violations of export control laws. Abedininajafabadi is also facing charges related to providing material support to Iran.

Officials claim that the duo bypassed U.S. export control regulations by employing a Swiss front company to provide sensitive technology to Iran. The drone navigation system was linked to Abedininajafabadi’s company, establishing a direct connection to the assault on a U.S. outpost in Jordan, Tower 22.

On January 28, a drone attack resulted in the deaths of three soldiers from Georgia—Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, Sgt. Breonna Moffett and Sgt. Kennedy Sanders—while injuring over 40 additional individuals in their living quarters.

“To the victims and families affected, I hope today’s charges bring a measure of justice,” U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy stated, highlighting the serious risks associated with U.S. technology being accessed by adversaries.

The incident led the U.S. military to carry out counterstrikes on militia sites backed by Iran in Iraq and Syria while also strengthening defenses at Tower 22, an important post located near the borders of Jordan with Syria and Iraq.

The charges signify an essential advancement in ensuring accountability for those who facilitate acts of terrorism via technological means, highlighting the persistent dangers presented by Iran-backed militias in the area.

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