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US federal authorities detained a 44-year-old Iranian woman with permanent US residency at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday, accusing her of orchestrating multi-million-dollar arms deals between Iran and Sudan's defense ministry.
Charges and arrest details
Shamim Mafi faces charges of violating US sanctions against Iran by brokering the sale of Iranian-made drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of ammunition rounds to Sudan, according to First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli. Court documents reveal a €60 million ($70 million) drone contract was part of the alleged transactions.
Mafi was arrested as she prepared to board a flight to Turkey. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison. She has not publicly responded to the allegations and is scheduled to appear in court later today.
Evidence and transactions
An FBI criminal complaint, obtained by the BBC, states Mafi coordinated a Sudanese delegation's visit to Iran, received over €6 million in payments, and issued receipts for the drone deal. The complaint also alleges she submitted a letter of intent to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to broker the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to Sudan's defense ministry.
Prosecutors describe her use of informal exchange entities across multiple transactions as a deliberate attempt to evade US sanctions. Essayli's social media post included images of a woman presumed to be Mafi with security agents, a drone on a tarmac, and bundles of cash.
Broader context of Sudan's conflict
Sudan has been embroiled in a brutal civil war for three years, pitting the national army against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The United Nations describes the situation as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands killed and millions displaced.
Foreign powers, including Iran, have been accused of supplying weapons to both sides, exacerbating the conflict. Amnesty International previously documented weapons from Serbia, Russia, China, Turkey, and Yemen being used in Sudan. While the UAE has denied providing military support to the RSF, Iran's alleged involvement has drawn scrutiny, particularly after Sudan's military government restored ties with Tehran in 2023 to secure arms supplies.
Geopolitical implications
Justin Lynch, head of the Conflict Insights Group, told the BBC that the allegations against Mafi underscore the opaque nature of arms brokering, where non-Western nations often rely on unregulated networks to procure weapons. He noted that Sudan's desperation for arms has led it to seek supplies from any available source, while Iran's defense industry plays a key role in its foreign policy.
Sudan's relationship with Iran has shifted over the decades, from close cooperation in the 1990s to a rupture in the mid-2000s due to Gulf Arab influence. However, the current conflict has prompted Khartoum to rekindle ties with Tehran, despite maintaining a cautious stance amid regional tensions, including the US-Israeli conflict with Iran and the recent US designation of Sudan's Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group linked to the IRGC.
Logistical battle for arms
Lynch described Sudan's war as a logistical competition between the army and RSF, both vying for weapons through unofficial channels. He emphasized that both sides often rely on the same arms dealers, highlighting the challenges of securing supplies in a conflict zone.
