Virginia FAA contractor allegedly spied for Iran, shared private info on US airports, energy industry: DOJ
SUMMARY
A former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contractor, Abouzar Rahmati, has been indicted for allegedly acting as an illegal agent for Iran. The Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that Rahmati, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Virginia, conspired with Iranian officials from December 2017 to June 2024. Rahmati, who previously served as a 1st Lt. in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is accused of lying about his military service to gain U.S. contractor employment. During his work for the FAA, Rahmati allegedly shared sensitive information related to U.S. airports, air traffic control, and the solar energy industry with Iran. He also downloaded classified FAA documents and passed them to Iranian intelligence. The DOJ is now pursuing charges against Rahmati for espionage and conspiring to work on behalf of a foreign government.
