Authorities in the United States have charged four Chinese nationals with illegally exporting dual-use, US-made electronic components to Iran over more than a decade.
The Justice Department said in a statement on January 31 that the Chinese nationals are accused of smuggling the technology via China and Hong Kong to entities affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL),
Between May 2007 and July 2020, the four individuals allegedly exported a "vast amount" of items used in the production of drones, ballistic missile systems, and other technology with military end uses to sanctioned Iranian entities.
"Such efforts to unlawfully obtain U.S. technology directly threaten our national security, and we will use every tool at our disposal to sever the illicit supply chains that fuel the Iranian regime's malign activity," said Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen of the Justice Department's national security division.
US authorities have issued arrest warrants for the suspects, who all remain fugitives, according to the statement.
The four accused face up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.
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