Woman in US arrested on Iranian arms trafficking charge

WorldPolitics
20 Apr 2026 • 4:50 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Woman in US arrested on Iranian arms trafficking charge

  • An Iranian businesswoman, Shamim Mafi, 44, holding a US green card, was arrested in Los Angeles by the FBI on Saturday night.
  • She is accused of brokering arms deals for Tehran, including the sale of drones, explosives, and millions of rounds of ammunition, to Sudan.
  • Mafi allegedly used an Oman-registered company to facilitate these deals, with one contract reportedly worth $70 million for Iranian-made Mojajer-6 armed drones.
  • She is also accused of having direct contact with Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security, though she denies involvement with the agency.
  • Mafi faces charges of Conspiracy to Violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if convicted.

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