Toronto man charged with trying to export nuclear technology to Iran
Last Updated: Friday, April 17, 2009 | 4:44 PM ET
CBC News
Mahmoud Yadegari, seen in this court sketch, is facing charges for violating UN sanctions on Iran.
(David Major)A Toronto man is facing charges of illegally trying to export nuclear technology to Iran, the RCMP said Friday.
The charges stem from an alleged attempt to illegally move pressure transducers from Boston to Toronto and on to Dubai, with Iran as the final destination, police said.
"The declared point of destination was Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. However, we have evidence to support the fact that its ultimate destination was Iran," RCMP Insp. Greg Johnson told a press conference.
The pressure transducers that were seized are used in the uranium enrichment process for weapons-grade products, Johnson said.
The transducers have a legitimate commercial use but also can be used for military purposes, the RCMP said.
Police confirmed at least two devices were seized and some of the devices were found when a search warrant was executed in Toronto.
Mahmoud Yadegari, 35, is facing charges under the Customs Act, Export Import Permits Act and the United Nations Act for violating UN sanctions on Iran.
Iran insists it is enriching uranium to produce nuclear energy for civilian purposes, but the United States and some European countries accuse Tehran of secretly seeking to build nuclear weapons.
Yadegari, who is a Canadian citizen from Iran, is being held in police custody awaiting a bail hearing in Toronto.
Police allege the man took steps to conceal the identification of the transducers so he could export them without required permits.
The charges were made following an eight-week investigation by the RCMP, customs agents, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, police said.
The investigation is ongoing, Johnson said.
Johnson declined to comment on whether Yadegari is believed to be a part of a larger network or if other arrests related to the devices are pending.
With files from The Canadian Press
