Milad Jafari, 36, was indicted on 11 charges for "illegally exporting and attempting to export specialized metals from the United States through companies in Turkey to several entities in Iran, including some entities that have been sanctioned for involvement in ballistic missile activities," the Justice Department said.

A federal indictment, which also seeks forfeiture of $177,000 dollars connected to the crimes, was returned by a grand jury in July last year and unsealed Tuesday in Washington, the department said.

Jafari, 36, remains at large and is believed to be in Iran, the Justice Department said. The charges carry an aggregate prison sentence of 155 years.

US authorities detailed data that showed Jafari and associates operated "a procurement network that provides direct support to Iran's missile program by securing metal products, including steel and aluminum alloys, for subordinates of Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO)."

The US Treasury Department said it has moved to freeze all US assets belonging to Jafari, his brother, their mother and father, and two Jafari associates in Turkey.

All had roles in the procurement network, said Treasury, adding that between 2007 and 2008 the Jafari team "facilitated transactions valued at more than $7 million for companies subordinate to AIO."

From 2004 to 2007 Jafari allegedly conspired to export the goods to Iran in violation of a US embargo, including to Sanam Industrial Group, a firm "sanctioned by the United States and United Nations for involvement in nuclear and ballistic missile activities," the Justice Department said.

"The allegations in the indictment unsealed today shed light on the reach of Iran's illegal procurement networks and the importance of keeping US materials from being exploited for Iran's weapons development," David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, said in the Justice statement.

Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey said "the Treasury Department will continue to identify and expose channels Iran is using to defy international sanctions, wherever those channels may be located."

The indictment comes as diplomats and analysts query whether fresh sanctions should be applied by the West over Iran's disputed nuclear drive, after the latest talks between world powers collapsed in Istanbul earlier this month.

The West suspects Iran is seeking to build a nuclear bomb, an accusation denied by the Islamic republic which says its program is for peaceful use of nuclear power.

earlier related report
Nigeria sets new trial date for Iranian in weapons case
Lagos (AFP) Feb 1, 2011 - A Nigerian court on Tuesday set a new trial date for later this month for an alleged Iranian Revolutionary Guard member charged over an illegal arms shipment seized in October in the West African country.

Azim Aghajani and Nigerian suspect Ali Abbas Jega pleaded not guilty to three counts related to the arms shipment at the federal high court in Lagos, a day after the case was transferred from Abuja.

Judge Okechukwu Okeke adjourned the hearing to February 15 for "an expeditious trial of the matter because of its international connotations."

The case has drawn international concern since the illegal arms shipment, which included rockets and grenades, could violate UN sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme.

Okeke also agreed with the prosecution that the suspects be remanded in the custody of Nigeria's secret police.

Defence lawyer Adabayo Onifade had urged the court to remand the accused in prisons custody so that the defence team could have access to them.

The accused were immediately driven away by gun-wielding state security agents after the hearing amid heavy security in and around the Lagos court.

Prosecutors had withdrawn charges against the accused in a court in Abuja on Monday and said they had filed the case in Lagos, where the arms were seized in October.

Charges were dropped against two other Nigerians accused in the case, but no reason was given.

Aghajani and the three Nigerians had been charged in connection with a shipment of 13 containers of weapons loaded at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas and seized by Nigerian officials in Lagos in October.

After the containers arrived in Nigeria, the shipper asked to have them reloaded and sent to Gambia.

Nigeria reported the seizure to the UN Security Council, which has approved four sets of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme. The sanctions include a ban on arms sales.

A UN panel of experts on sanctions on Iran was recently in Nigeria to investigate the weapons shipment. Iran has said the shipment was sent by a private company.

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