Iran says no to peace talks as J.D. Vance heads to Pakistan
Iran announced it would retaliate against the United States for seizing an Iranian cargo ship that President Donald Trump claimed had breached the blockade.
Officials announced on Sunday, April 19, that an Iranian woman living in Southern California has been arrested on suspicion of “arms trafficking” for the Iranian government.
Shamim Mafi, 44, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on April 18, according to Bill Esseri, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California.
According to the criminal complaint, Mafi is accused of “conspiring with others to conduct an illegal scheme to broker the sale of arms, weapons parts, and ammunition on behalf of the Iranian government,” in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
According to the Congressional Research Service, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act gives the president “broad authority to regulate a variety of economic transactions following a declaration of a national emergency.” President Donald Trump used this law to impose sweeping tariffs.
According to the complaint, Mafi, with the help of unnamed co-conspirators, “brokered the sale of 55,000 fuses to the Sudanese Ministry of Defense.” Additionally, they “brokered the sale of millions of rounds of ammunition from Iran to Sudan.”
According to the indictment, Mafi is suspected of brokering arms deals on behalf of Iran in early 2025 through a company he owned with his co-conspirators. According to the complaint, this includes a contract worth more than 60 million euros to sell Iranian-made drones to Sudan’s Ministry of Defense. Other items that Mafi brokered or attempted to broker included “bombs” and “assault weapons,” according to the complaint.
Esseri said Mafi is scheduled to make his first court appearance on April 20, but it was not immediately clear who would represent Mafi.
According to the complaint, Mafi was born in Iran but is a legal permanent resident of the United States and maintains a residence in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.
According to the complaint, she frequently travels back and forth to Los Angeles and spends “only a portion of her time” in the United States.
If convicted, Mafi could face up to 20 years in federal prison, Essayli said.
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. please contact her pbarraza@usatodayco.com.
