Reza Olangian Convicted in Manhattan of Smuggling Missiles to Iran

Dual U.S.-Iranian citizen Reza Olangian, 56, was found guilty in Manhattan federal court of conspiring and attempting to acquire surface-to-air missiles and military aircraft components for the Iranian government. After a two-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, Olangian was convicted on all four counts of the indictment, marking a major win for federal counter-proliferation efforts.

OLANGIAN orchestrated a covert arms network stretching from Tehran to Estonia, negotiating deals for advanced weaponry under the guise of commercial transactions. In 2008, he first attempted to secure approximately 375 surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) for Iran, a deal that ultimately collapsed. By early 2012, he was back at it—this time targeting the IGLA-S missile system through a DEA confidential source posing as an arms broker.

From May to October 2012, OLANGIAN, operating out of Tehran, conducted recorded calls, emails, and in-person meetings detailing plans to smuggle the missiles into Iran via Afghanistan or neighboring states. During a videoconference, he inspected a sample missile and demanded “at least 200 . . . minimum 200.” He also arranged for a missile expert to test the weapons, showing the operation’s sophistication and deadly intent.

But missiles weren’t his only target. OLANGIAN pursued the S-300 missile defense system, Russian naval vessels, and military aircraft parts—all prohibited under U.S. export controls. Simultaneously, he brokered multimillion-dollar commercial aircraft deals, including one to buy planes for $80 million and resell them to an Iranian company for $110 million, laundering military procurement through civilian transactions.

His international scheming ended in October 2012 when he was arrested in Estonia at the request of U.S. authorities. After extradition to the United States on March 26, 2013, OLANGIAN admitted in interviews that the SAMs and aircraft parts were destined for the Iranian government and its military forces.

OLANGIAN faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and a maximum of life on each of Counts One and Two—conspiracy and attempt to transfer SAMs. Counts Three and Four, related to violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), add further decades to his potential sentence. The verdict underscores the Justice Department’s relentless pursuit of those arming adversarial regimes.