In brief
Shamim Mafi, an Iranian national and lawful U.S. resident since 2016, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly facilitating arms sales to Sudan's government. Prosecutors claim Mafi brokered extensive military contracts, including a €60 million drone deal. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison for breaching U.S. sanctions against Iran and evading legal transactions.
US authorities have arrested an Iranian woman for trafficking arms to Sudan on behalf of her country, federal prosecutors have said.Shamim Mafi, 44, was arrested at Los Angeles airport on Saturday and is accused of brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan, First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said on X.The alleged sales were to Sudan's defence ministry, including a €60m ($70m; £52m) drone contract, court documents show.Mafi, who has not yet commented on the allegations, is expected to appear in court later on Monday. If convicted, she could face a jail sentence of up to 20 years.An FBI criminal complaint filed in court notes that Mafi coordinated a Sudanese delegation's travel to Iran, received over €6m in payments, and issued payment receipts for the drone deal. She submitted a letter of intent to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to broker the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to Sudan's defence ministry.According to Essayli, Mafi is an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016. She is accused of breaching US sanctions against Iran, which prohibit US persons from transacting or dealing in Iranian goods or services without authorization. Court documents describe her repeated use of informal exchange entities across multiple transactions in the arms deals as a deliberate effort... to evade US sanctions.Mafi was reportedly ready to board a flight from California to Turkey at the time of her arrest. Additionally, images released by Essayli show a woman presumed to be Mafi surrounded by security agents at the airport, next to a drone and bundles of cash.Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war for the past three years, resulting in a humanitarian crisis with tens of thousands of deaths and millions displaced. Foreign powers have been accused of supporting both sides and fueling the conflict. Meanwhile, rights group Amnesty International has found evidence of weapons from various countries being used in Sudan's civil strife.
