Man in Pa. gets prison for shipping items to Iran

AP: An Iranian man who lives near Philadelphia has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for shipping banned products and equipment to his native country.

The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — An Iranian man who lives near Philadelphia has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for shipping banned products and equipment to his native country.

A federal judge in Philadelphia on Friday sentenced 43-year-old Mohammad Reza Vaghari (vuh-GAIR’-ee) of Broomall to 33 months behind bars.

Prosecutors say Vaghari and another man sent laboratory equipment, laptops and other products to Dubai, where co-conspirators forwarded them to Iran.

Vaghari was convicted of conspiracy and other offenses in February for the scheme that authorities say ran from 2002 to 2005. Deportation proceedings will begin after he serves his time.

Vaghari’s attorney says he conceded the items were shipped to Dubai but denied they ever reached Iran.

Vaghari’s business partner, Mir Hossein Ghaemi, pleaded guilty to related charges last year.