A naturalized U.S. citizen living in Great Falls, Virginia, pleaded guilty to charges of working with Iranian government and intelligence officials on their behalf as a contractor for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) between 2017 and 2024. The individual, 42-year-old Abouzar Rahmati, admitted to conspiring to act and acting as an agent of the Iranian government in the U.S. without notifying the Attorney General. Rahmati had previously been a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated terrorist group by the U.S. government.
Court documents revealed that Rahmati collaborated with Iranian intelligence operatives and officials in the U.S. between December 2017 and June 2024. He traveled to Iran where he met with intelligence operatives and government officials, offering his services to gather and provide information about the U.S. solar industry. Upon returning to the U.S., Rahmati worked to obtain and share sensitive, non-public information about the U.S. aviation sector, including materials about the solar energy industry, with Iranian officials. He also downloaded and stored FAA documents relating to the National Aerospace System and provided them to government officials in Iran.
In August 2017, Rahmati offered his services to Iran through a former colleague who was a senior Iranian government official. He agreed to gather information about the U.S. solar industry and shared private and open-source materials with Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology. Rahmati later downloaded at least 175 GB of files, including sensitive FAA documents, and took them to Iran in April 2022. He also shared additional information about solar energy, the FAA, U.S. airports, and air traffic control towers with his brother living in Iran to provide to intelligence officials on his behalf.
As a result of these activities, Rahmati was charged with acting as an agent of a foreign government and conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26 and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for acting as an agent of a foreign government, as well as up to five years in prison for conspiracy. The case highlights the dangers of individuals with access to sensitive information engaging in espionage and compromising national security by sharing confidential information with foreign entities, particularly those with hostile intentions towards the United States.
The case also underscores the ongoing threat posed by foreign governments seeking to obtain sensitive information about U.S. industries, infrastructure, and national security. The involvement of Iranian intelligence operatives and government officials in recruiting Rahmati to gather information about the U.S. aviation sector and solar industry demonstrates the lengths to which hostile foreign powers are willing to go to obtain valuable intelligence. Rahmati’s actions are a reminder of the importance of vigilance and security measures to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information that could be used against the United States.
The sentencing of Rahmati in August will serve as a warning to others who may be tempted to engage in espionage or act as agents of foreign governments. The severity of the potential prison terms for the charges he has pleaded guilty to highlight the serious consequences of compromising national security and engaging in activities that put the U.S. at risk. By holding individuals like Rahmati accountable for their actions, the U.S. government sends a clear message that espionage and unauthorized sharing of sensitive information will not be tolerated, and those who engage in such activities will face serious legal repercussions.
