US federal agents arrest Iranian national for allegedly brokering multimillion dollar arms deals for Sudan

Shamim Mafi faces 20 years for allegedly brokering Iranian drone and bomb sales to Sudan. US agents intercepted the deal at LAX.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 21, 2026, 9:12 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from BBC News

Interception at Los Angeles International Airport

Federal authorities have detained Shamim Mafi, an Iranian national with a US green card, on charges of coordinating a massive arms trafficking operation between Tehran and Khartoum. According to First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli, Mafi was arrested at Los Angeles airport on Saturday while preparing to board a flight to Turkey. Prosecutors allege she acted as a primary broker for the sale of drones, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition, directly benefiting the Sudanese army during its ongoing internal conflict.

Sanctions Evasion and Financial Coordination

The criminal complaint filed by the FBI details a sophisticated effort to bypass US regulations that prohibit permanent residents from dealing in Iranian goods. Mafi reportedly used informal exchange entities across multiple transactions to hide the origin and destination of funds, a move described by court documents as a deliberate attempt to evade detection. Investigators found evidence that she coordinated travel for a Sudanese delegation to Iran and issued payment receipts for a drone contract valued at approximately 60 million Euro.

The Scale of Military Procurement

The alleged dealings represent a significant influx of lethal technology into the Sudanese theater of war. Beyond the drone contract, court records suggest Mafi submitted a letter of intent to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to facilitate the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses. Experts tracking the conflict note that while Sudan has utilized various international suppliers, Iranian manufactured weapons, specifically sophisticated drones, are believed to have played a decisive role in the Sudanese army's 2024 offensive against paramilitary forces.