Canadian guilty of breaking U.N. sanction on Iran

6 Jul 2010 – VANCOUVER (Reuters) – A Toronto man was convicted on Tuesday of attempting to illegally export nuclear-related technology to Iran, in the first Canadian criminal case resulting from UN sanctions against the Middle East nation.

An Ontario judge found Mahmoud Yadegari guilty of attempting to export pressure transducers, which can be used in the building of both nuclear plants and weapons, according to Canada’s Public Prosecutors Service.

Yadegari, 36, was arrested last year on a variety of charges, including violating Canada’s agreements banning exports of technology prohibited under United Nations sanctions aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program.

The trial never heard evidence of what the equipment was to be used for and the judge who convicted Yadegari said it was not a sophisticated operation, according to Toronto-area media.

Yadegari, a businessman who had immigrated to Canada from Iran, faces a prison term of up to 10 year years and fines of up to C$500,000 (313,200 pounds). He will be sentenced on July 29.