Iran-born engineer wins bail ahead of US trial tied to deadly drone strike

A U.S. judge has released Mahdi Sadeghi, an Iranian-born engineer, on bail just days before his trial on charges related to a deadly drone attack in Jordan. Sadeghi, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen, is accused of conspiracy to illegally procure technology for navigation systems used in Iran's military drones.

Prosecutors allege that the system Sadeghi helped develop was used in a drone that struck a U.S. outpost in Jordan, known as Tower 22, in January 2024. The attack resulted in the deaths of three Army Reserve soldiers and injured 47 others. Sadeghi, a former employee of Analog Devices, was arrested in December 2024.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, who had previously denied Sadeghi bail due to flight risk concerns, reversed her decision. She stated that the current "political world" and the ongoing war in Iran, which began after U.S. and Israeli strikes in February, make returning to Iran "less attractive" for Sadeghi and his family. The judge also noted Sadeghi's wife's desire to remain in the United States.

Sadeghi has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which involve a scheme to violate U.S. export control and sanctions laws. His alleged involvement was in procuring technology for an Iranian businessman's company, which reportedly had Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a client. Sadeghi is scheduled to stand trial on June 22.

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It is just a different political world.