U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber | U.S. Department of Justice
A superseding indictment was returned yesterday charging two Iranian citizens, brothers Shahab Mir’kazei and Yunus Mir’kazei, and one Pakistani citizen, Muhammad Pahlawan, for conspiring to provide and providing material support to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program resulting in death. The charges also include conspiring to commit violence against maritime navigation and transport involving weapons of mass destruction resulting in death. Pahlawan is currently awaiting trial, while Shahab and Yunus remain at large.
According to court documents, Shahab and Yunus work for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Muhammad Pahlawan, 48, allegedly worked for the Mir’kazei brothers as the captain of a smuggling vessel named the “Yunus,” which is owned by Shahab.
Pahlawan allegedly collaborated with Shahab to prepare the dhow for multiple smuggling voyages, receiving payments from Shahab in Iranian Rials from a bank account in Shahab’s name. He reportedly arranged to receive these payments in Iran and distribute the money to his family and others.
On January 11th, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER boarded the dhow off the coast of Somalia. Two Navy SEALs lost their lives during this interdiction.
As alleged, the U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel, including Pahlawan. During a search of the dhow, they allegedly seized what is believed to be Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry containing critical components for medium-range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles.
Additionally, Pahlawan is charged with providing materially false information to U.S. Coast Guard officers regarding the vessel’s captain during its boarding and witness intimidation for threatening one of his crewmembers.
The defendants face up to life in prison if convicted. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Executive Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI's National Security Branch made this announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy A. Edwards Jr., Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Trial Attorney Lesley Woods are prosecuting this case.
Related court documents can be found on PACER by searching Case No. 3:24-cr-41.
An indictment is merely an accusation; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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