Former Aussie resident Negar Ghodskani at heart of Iran prisoner swap

The woman Iran reportedly wants to swap for two Aussies is thought to be a mum arrested in Adelaide.

Iranian authorities apparently hope to swap NEgar Ghodskani (L) for Jolie King and Mark Firkin.

The woman whom Iran reportedly wants to swap for two imprisoned Aussie travellers is thought to be a former Australian resident arrested two years ago in Adelaide.

Iranian national Negar Ghodskani pleaded guilty in a US court last month to attempting to evade sanctions and “illegally export controlled technology” to Iran.

Ms Ghodskani faces a five year prison sentence after she accepted a plea deal on the charges, which related to her work for Iranian technology firm Fanamoj before she moved to Australia six years ago.

After her arrest in 2017 she was held for six months in an Adelaide prison and gave birth to a boy in custody before being extradited to the US in July. The arrest sparked a diplomatic row with Iran.

Negar Ghodskani has been convicted of evading US sanctions on Iran. Picture AP.

Jolie Kng and Mark Firkin on the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan.

Jolie King, an Australian blogger detained with her partner Mark Firkin in the notorious Evin prison has been told by Iranian authorities they are being held in hope of a prison swap, The Times reports.

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Earlier this year Tehran referred to Ms Ghodskani without naming her, challenging the US to release an Iranian woman held on “phony charges” in Australia in exchange for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian mother jailed in Tehran since 2016 on spying charges.

“We have an Iranian lady in Australia who gave birth in prison after she was arrested on an extradition request from the United States,” Iran foreign minister Mohammed Javad Zarif said at the time.

“Nobody talks about this lady in Australia whose child is growing up outside prison with his mother in prison. I put this offering on the table publicly now. Exchange them.”

In US court papers, authorities claimed that between December 2010 and March 2012 Ms Ghodskani and ­others used Malaysian front ­company Green Wave Telecommunication to buy technology from the US that America bans from being exported to Iran.

US authorities banned Fanamoj in October, accusing it of designing components for the Iranian military’s missile systems.

In an affidavit sworn in US criminal proceedings, US Assistant Attorney-General Charles Kovats Jr claimed that in early 2012 Ms Ghodskani moved from Iran to Adelaide, where she took a job with an oil and gas consultancy. She and her husband had moved to Australia on skilled migration visas.

In August 2015, a Minnesota grand jury indicted Ms Ghodskani on charges of conspiracy to defraud the US and two counts each of smuggling, making a false statement and money-­laundering.

In her plea agreement, Ms Ghodskani asked to be sent back to Iran after she completed her sentence.

The alleged prisoner swap comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the US.

Scott Morrison ­announced in August that Australia would join a US-led mission to protect shipping in the Straits of Hormuz against Iran­ian attacks, allocating a navy frigate, a P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft and specialist personnel to the operation.

The Iranian government warned at the time Australia’s “reputation and prestige” would be damaged by the commitment.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed on Wednesday it was providing consular assistance to the families of three Australians, but refused to provide further information.

It is understood DFAT officials were trying to negotiate the Australians’ release outside the glare of media attention.