A former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contractor was charged Friday with acting as an illegal agent for the Iranian government, the Justice Department said.
According to a statement from the DOJFrom at least December 2017 to June 2024, Abouzar Rahmati, 42, allegedly met with Iranian government officials and acted on their behalf.
Rahmati, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Great Falls, Virginia, previously served as a first lieutenant in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces, from June 2009 to May 2010. The IRGC is a group designated terrorist. by the US government
After being discharged from the IRGC, the indictment alleges that Rahmati lied to the U.S. government about his military service in the IRGC in order to obtain employment as a U.S. contractor.
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Abouzar Rahmati has been accused of acting as an agent of the Iranian government. (US Department of Justice)
In August 2017, prosecutors allege that Rahmati began communicating with a senior Iranian government official with whom she had previously attended university.
Four months later, Rahmati traveled to Iran and met with intelligence agents. During the meetings, he agreed to obtain and provide them with information about the US solar energy industry.
After initial meetings, Rahmati went to work as a spy for the Iranian government. Prosecutors said he eventually became a contractor for the FAA’s National Airspace System (NAS), allowing him access to confidential information.
Authorities alleged that in April 2022, Rahmati downloaded private documents related to the FAA and the NAS electrical and power architecture and passed them to the government of Iran.
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He also provided the Government of Iran with additional information related to solar energy, solar panels, the FAA, US airports, and US air traffic control.
A Federal Aviation Administration sign hangs on the tower at John F. Kennedy International Airport on March 16, 2017, in New York. (Photo AP/Seth Wenig, archive)
“As alleged, the defendant conspired with Iranian officials and intelligence agents, and even lied to obtain employment as a U.S. government contractor only to later share sensitive government materials with Iran,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Division. of Homeland Security of the Department of Justice. . “When undisclosed agents from Iran or any other foreign government seek to infiltrate American companies or government agencies, the Department of Justice will use all available tools to identify them and bring them to justice.”
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Rahmani made his initial appearance in the District of Columbia on Friday afternoon.
