A 66-year-old Iranian man, who also holds green card in the United States, has been arrested in Los Angeles. His name is Bahram Mohammad Ostovari, and authorities claim he illegally sent high-tech U.S. equipment to Iran — breaking strict sanctions laws.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Ostovari was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) when he landed from abroad. He is now facing serious charges for exporting sophisticated railway signaling and telecommunications equipment to Iran, which is against U.S. law.
Officials say Ostovari is the founder and CEO of a Tehran-based engineering company. This company worked with the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways, a major state-run transport agency. The DOJ claims his business helped provide important technology systems to the Iranian government, even though U.S. sanctions forbid this type of trade.
According to the court documents, Ostovari and others worked together to get sensitive electronics from American companies. They reportedly sent these electronics to Iran using two fake companies located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These companies acted as middlemen to hide Iran as the true destination.
Secret Exports Spanned Over Seven Years
According to U.S. officials, Ostovari’s illegal actions took place between May 2018 and July 2025. During this period, he and his co-conspirators allegedly exported advanced computer processors and railway signaling gear from the U.S. to Iran.
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These components are considered “controlled items” under U.S. export laws. This means they can’t be sent to countries like Iran without special permission from the government. Iran is under economic sanctions, which are rules that block the country from accessing certain goods due to its political actions and international behavior.
Even after becoming a U.S. lawful green card holder in May 2020, Ostovari continued the export operation, the DOJ says. That’s important because as a green card holder, he is required to follow all U.S. laws — including export control regulations.
The Justice Department also revealed that Ostovari knew he was breaking the rules. In email exchanges with his partners, he reportedly talked about the sanctions. In one case, he even told someone to lie to a U.S. government officer about where the exported goods were going.
Such efforts to conceal the true end use of American-made products show the seriousness of the charges. Prosecutors believe Ostovari was actively trying to bypass federal oversight and mislead U.S. suppliers and regulators.
Faces Up to 80 Years in Prison if Convicted
Ostovari has been charged with four counts of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 80 years behind bars.
Violating U.S. sanctions laws is not a minor offense. The rules are part of broader efforts to prevent certain governments from obtaining powerful or sensitive technologies, especially those that can be used for military or state-controlled purposes.
These kinds of violations by green card holders are closely monitored by the U.S. government, especially when they involve countries like Iran, which remains under strict international scrutiny.
According to the Justice Department, this case is a reminder that anyone — including U.S. residents — must obey sanctions laws. Using fake companies and false paperwork to move banned goods is a serious criminal offense, regardless of one’s immigration status or place of residence.
The Department of Justice said the investigation involved multiple agencies, including the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). These agencies work together to track illegal shipments, inspect exports, and uncover international smuggling networks.
Ostovari’s court appearance will determine whether he will be held in custody or granted bail. As of now, the investigation is still ongoing, and the government has not announced whether more people could be charged in connection with the case