Sydney businessman accused of shipping nickel to Iran in violation of UN sanctions
A Sydney businessman, accused of violating UN sanctions by shipping tonnes of nickel that ended up in Iran, impersonated his employees while emailing his fiance in Tehran about the suspect deal, a court has heard.
NSW
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A Sydney businessman changed names on emails, altered shipping documents and kept his relationship a secret as he sold hi-tech metals to Iran in violation of United Nations sanctions, a jury has been told.
Khosrow Sajjadi has pleaded not guilty to two counts of contravening UN sanction enforcement law after he was charged by the Australian Federal Police in late 2016.
Crown prosecutor Michael McHugh SC on Friday told the NSW Supreme Court Sajjadi oversaw shipments of nickel alloys to Dubai company HICO FZE before the material made its way to Iran.
About 90 tonnes of nickel “superalloy” allegedly crossed into Iran.
Close to 60 tonnes of the prohibited material is alleged to have entered Iran in one transaction alone, with another shipment containing 30 tonnes.
The two transactions are understood to have taken place about 10 years ago.
Witness Tony Habib, who worked with Sajjadi at that time, told the court the businessman approached him in a warehouse and asked about common types of stainless steel.
“I asked why he wanted to know that,” Mr Habib said.
“He wished to change labels on the boxes, the (alloy) boxes for shipment.”
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Sajjadi allegedly told Mr Habib he was trying to avoid taxes and tariffs in Dubai.
But prosecutors say he was trying to stop banks and shipping companies “sounding alarm bells” before the cargo got to the Iranian buyers.
The court heard Sajjadi’s fiance, Sima Aghili, knew about the sanctions and alleged shipments.
At the time she worked for HICO in Iran's capital Tehran.
Sajjadi told the Department of Immigration in a spousal visa application that the two met online in 1999 but the “relationship blossomed” while they visited Paris together in 2006.
The two remained in frequent contact and in March 2007, Sajjadi proposed over the phone.
Returning to Australia after a 2009 visit, Sajjadi said he “left his heart in Iran”.
The court heard overnight and weekend business emails between Mr Habib and Ms Aghili — which appear in massive binders of documents presented to the court — were actually sent by Sajjadi.
“(Mr Habib) didn’t work weekends, he couldn’t access Metalloy emails outside work,” Mr McHugh said.
“He said Mr Sajjadi managed the (alloy) transaction.”
The court heard Mr Habib was unaware of their relationship.
Prosecutors say the contact between Sajjadi and Ms Aghili, as well as alleged attempts to alter shipping documents, are proof the businessman knowingly violated the sanctions.
“We say that shows he had knowledge they were sanctioned goods and they were going to Iran,” Mr McHugh said.