New York Jury Finds Man Guilty of Trying to Get Missiles for Iran

A jury in the US state of New York has decided that a 56-year-old dual Iranian and American citizen Reza Olangian is guilty of trying to send surface-to-air missiles and military aircraft parts to the Iranian government, the US Department of Justice said in a press release on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Justice Department noted that Olangian was arrested in Estonia in October of 2012 and extradited to the United States in March of 2013.

"Reza Olangian, a dual citizen of the United States and Iran, was found guilty of conspiring and attempting to send surface-to-air missiles ("SAMs") and military aircraft parts to the government of Iran," the release stated.

Olangian worked on an unsuccessful deal to get 375 missiles for the Iranian government in 2008. He tried to negotiate another deal involving more missiles and expressed interest in getting the S-300 missile system and Russian-made naval vessels, the Justice Department explained.

The alleged seller was in fact a confidential source for the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Justice Department added.

Olangian faces up to life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for March 13, 2017.