A 44-year-old Iranian American woman, Shamim Mafi, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday night on suspicion of brokering arms deals for the Iranian government, including the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition to Sudan's ministry of defense. Mafi, a lawful permanent resident of the United States since 2016, is accused of coordinating a weapons contract worth over €60 million and receiving €6 million in payment after arranging travel for a Sudanese delegation to Iran. According to a criminal complaint, Mafi operated through a company called Atlas International, allegedly facilitating illegal arms transactions with a co-conspirator across California, Turkey, and Iran. Federal authorities say she frequently traveled to Iran, Turkey, and Oman, and previously lived in Istanbul from 2013 to 2016. Mafi, who listed a residence in Woodland Hills, California, reportedly told federal officials that her first husband served as an officer in Iran's ministry of intelligence and security. Evidence cited in the complaint includes social media photos showing Mafi near weapons in a Turkish warehouse and on a beach in California. The indictment highlights one major deal involving Iranian-made drones transferred to Sudan, a country embroiled in a civil war since 2023 that has led to the deaths of up to hundreds of thousands and displaced more than 13 million people. Mafi faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted. She is scheduled to appear in US district court in Los Angeles on Monday.
Mafi's alleged role in brokering a €60 million drone deal for Sudan's military exposes how individuals with dual ties can operate in geopolitical grey zones. The weapons were linked to a conflict that has already caused massive civilian casualties and displacement. If proven, the case shows arms networks leveraging personal mobility across continents to supply war zones. The court appearance in Los Angeles will reveal how much US authorities have uncovered about the network behind Atlas International.
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