Canadian-Iranian Businessman Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy to Ship U.S. Electronics to Iran

Ali Reza Parsa, a businessman with dual Iranian and Canadian citizenship, pleaded guilty in federal court in January 2016 to conspiring to ship U.S.-origin electronic components from the United States to Iran, via Canada, without a license required by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).  He was sentenced to three years in prison on May 20, 2016.

Parsa admitted to one count of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR).  Between 2009 and 2015, Parsa conspired to obtain electronic components from U.S. companies for shipment to Iran and other countries.  The components included cryogenic accelerometers, which can be used in liquid propellant rocket engines.

Parsa concealed the intended end-user of the components by placing orders through a Canadian company called Metal PM and using a United Arab Emirates-based freight forwarder.  He also provided the U.S. supplier companies with false information about the end-user.  These shipments were to be made on behalf of Tavan Payesh Mad, an Iranian procurement company.

Tavan Payesh Mad supplies equipment to companies in the chemical, mining, oil, heavy industry, and energy sectors. Its clients include Abadan Oil Refining Company, Arak Petrochemical Company, National Iranian Steel Company (NISCO), Esfahan Steel Company, Shomal Cement Company, Fars Cement Company, and Mazandaran Cement Company. Both Tavan Payesh Mad and Metal PM have been linked to Parsa.

While in custody, Parsa continued to conduct business for Metal PM and Tavan Payesh Mad.  He ordered components from Brazilian and German suppliers on behalf of Iranian end users and reportedly attempted to conceal the transactions by directing a relative to delete email evidence.