Jun.19, 7:58 AM, Source: U.S. Department of Justice

Iranian citizen Omid Khalili pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama to attempting to illegally export fighter jet or military aircraft from the United States to Iran.

Khalili along with defendant "Masun," whose last name is unknown, was charged in a nine-count indictment returned on January 28, 2010, with conspiracy, money laundering, smuggling, as well as violations of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Khalili was arrested by federal agents in March 2010 upon his arrival in Miami. Masun remains at large.

According to Khalili and the documents filed in court, Khalili, along with his co-conspirator Masun, have been actively working with the Iranian government to procure military items for the Iranian government. In November 2009, Khalili and Masun contacted an undercover confidential informant, or U/CI, seeking parts for the military aircraft for export to Iran and, thereafter, began having regular e-mail contact with U/CI regarding the requested aircraft parts.

These parts are replacement parts for a military aircraft that were sold to Iran by the United States during the reign of the Shah, before the 1979 Iranian revolution. As of 2009, this military aircraft is in service with only the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force.

The parts requested by the defendants are designated as defense articles on the U.S. Munitions List and may not be exported from the United States without a license from the U.S. State Department. In addition, these items may not be exported to Iran without a license from the U.S. Treasury Department due to the U.S. trade embargo on Iran. The defendants had not obtained the required U.S. government export licenses for such exports.

On November 20, 2009, Khalili sent an e-mail to the U/CI that contained a list of aircraft parts for the military aircraft and requested that the U/CI provide pricing for those parts.

On December 1, 2009, the U/CI sent an e-mail to Khalili providing pricing for said aircraft parts. On December 4, 2009, Khalili and Masun talked with the U/CI and informed him that the aircraft parts were to be sent to Iran and that, because of the U.S. embargo, they would first need to be shipped through an intermediate country.

Thereafter, the defendant and other co-conspirators sent four separate cash deposits totaling in excess of $70,000 by wire from a bank in the United Arab Emirates to a bank in Alabama as down payment for the aircraft parts to be shipped to Iran. Using e-mail and telephone calls, the agents agreed to send the requested parts to the defendants.

"[This] plea underscores the continuing threat posed by Iranian procurement networks," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Kris. "I applaud the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to bring about this important case."

Khalili faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $1,000,000.00 fine.