The 52-year-old, identified only as Dr. Ahmad R., was arrested Tuesday in Berlin, the prosecutor said in a statement.
He is being held on charges of attempting to break German export laws for allegedly trying to provide Iran with the materials between August and December 2007.
Customs agents searched his Berlin home and office as part of the arrest.
The statement did not say whether evidence was found during the searches and did not specify what kinds of materials the man was trying to export. The prosecutor’s office did not immediately return a phone call seeking more information.
