The US Department of Justice announced that the Iranian regime has had the first rank in illegally importing US military equipment and sensitive technology during 2007 and 2008.
In an article in US Congress Conservatives website on Nov.2, 2008, Jim Kouri, vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, wrote:
“A multi-agency initiative to combat illegal exports of restricted military and dual-use technology from the United States has resulted in criminal charges against more than 145 defendants in the past fiscal year, with roughly 43 percent of these cases involving munitions or other restricted technology bound for Iran or China, the Justice Department and several partner agencies announced on Friday.
“On a daily basis, foreign states as well as criminal and terrorist groups seek arms, technology, and other materials to advance their technological capacity, weapons systems and, in some cases, Weapons of Mass Destruction programs. With America producing the most advanced technology in the world, it has become a primary target of these illicit technology acquisition efforts. The U.S. government, defense sector, private companies, and research institutions are routinely targeted as sources of these materials.
“Restricted Materials Bound for Iran and China
Roughly 43 percent of the defendants charged in FY 2008 were charged in export control or embargo cases involving Iran or China. In total, Iran ranked as the leading destination for illegal exports of restricted U.S. technology in the prosecutions brought in FY 2008, as well as those in FY 2007.
“The illegal exports bound for Iran have involved such items as missile guidance systems, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) components, military aircraft parts, night vision systems and other materials. The illegal exports to China have involved rocket launch data, Space Shuttle technology, missile technology, naval warship data, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or “drone” technology, thermal imaging systems, military night vision systems and other materials”.