A 43-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, Sadeghi, who worked at Analog Devices, was found guilty in Boston federal court on three of five counts for illegally exporting electronic components to Iran and helping a Tehran-based company evade export controls, including allegedly setting up a Swiss front.

Sadeghi faces sentencing on October 13 and remains free until then; he did not testify during the trial and has a family with two children, having previously lost his job at Analog Devices amid the charges.

Prosecutors sought to introduce evidence tied to a 2024 Iranian drone attack, but the judge limited this to general information about Abedini’s Iranian company and its possible military uses, excluding direct links to the Jordan attack discussed at trial.

Prosecutors described the scheme as one that would aid Iran’s drone program, presenting documents, messages, and photos as evidence of the illicit relationship.

The broader case history includes Abedini’s arrest in Italy, his release, and a prisoner exchange involving an Italian journalist detained in Iran.

Background notes recount Abedini’s December 2024 airport arrest in Italy, his subsequent release, and his return to Iran, alongside the detention and later release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala.

The defense argued there was no proof of a direct link between the exported parts and Iran’s drone program or the 2024 Jordan attack, amid ongoing tensions with Iran.

The trial unfolded amid ongoing Iran tensions and prior related prosecutions in Massachusetts, with Sadeghi’s December 2024 arrest marking a broader conflict context.

There were discussions about potential evidence related to a 2024 drone attack that killed U.S. troops, but the judge restricted Abedini’s role in drone manufacturing.

Closing arguments stressed the overarching prohibition on sending goods to Iran, portraying the relationship between Sadeghi and Abedini as producing the “fruits” of illicit activity.

The case underscores enforcement of U.S. export controls and sanctions on Iran, highlighting how individuals and front entities pursue illicit tech transfers for military use.

Abedini, not on trial in this proceeding, is believed to be in Iran after a prisoner exchange involving an Italian journalist and faces separate charges of conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization connected to a drone program.