Overview

• Abouzar Rahmati, a naturalized U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered agent of the Iranian government and conspiracy charges on April 16, 2025.
• Rahmati exploited his role as an FAA contractor to download 172 GB of sensitive aviation data, which he provided to Iranian officials in 2022.
• He also gathered and transmitted proprietary U.S. solar energy industry information to Iran starting in 2018, following tasking from Iranian intelligence.
• Rahmati offered his services to Iran in 2017 and maintained covert communications with Iranian operatives under a cover story of academic research.
• He faces up to 15 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for August 26, 2025, as the FBI and FAA continue counterintelligence efforts.