Iranian-origin US resident held at LA Airport for alleged arms deals with Tehran, Sudan: Report

An Iranian-origin businesswoman with US permanent residency has been arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly brokering arms deals involving Tehran and Sudan, according to a report by New York Post.

Shamim Mafi, 44, was taken into custody on Saturday and charged with facilitating the sale of Iranian drones, bombs and ammunition, US prosecutors said, adding that the transactions were linked to Sudan amid its ongoing civil conflict, as per NY Post.

The charge, under 50 U.S.C. § 1705, relates to brokering the sale of Iranian-made drones, bombs, bomb fuses and ammunition to Sudan, prosecutors said, and carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison if convicted.


Here’s what the report says:

• Mafi allegedly brokered deals involving Iranian-made drones, bomb fuses and millions of rounds of ammunition
• One contract reportedly exceeded $70 million and involved Mohajer-6 armed drones
• The weapons were allegedly supplied to Sudan’s defence establishment during its ongoing civil war
• She is accused of using an Oman-registered company to conduct the transactions
• Authorities claim she routed deals through Turkey and the UAE to avoid US detection
• Phone records allegedly show contact with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence between 2022 and 2025
• Prosecutors say she lacked legal authorisation to conduct such arms deals
• She faces charges under US sanctions laws, carrying up to 20 years in prison if convicted
• Mafi was arrested while preparing to board a flight to Istanbul and is due to appear in a US court in Los Angeles