A federal judge in Boston on Thursday ordered the release of Natick resident Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi on a secured $500,000 bond, with strict home detention and a GPS ankle monitor, just days before his federal trial. Sadeghi, a dual U.S.-Iranian national, is accused of conspiring to procure electronic components used in the navigation system of an Iranian-made drone that struck a U.S. outpost in Jordan in January 2024, killing three U.S. service members and injuring dozens. The decision reverses an earlier detention order and brings a high-profile national security prosecution right into a quiet MetroWest neighborhood.
Judge Cites Changed Circumstances
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani said circumstances had shifted since Sadeghi's December arrest and that ongoing conflict in Iran made returning there less appealing, reducing his incentive to flee. She ordered his release on a secured $500,000 bond, coupled with tight home confinement and GPS monitoring, and noted that his wife told the court the family intends to remain in the United States, according to Reuters.
What Prosecutors Allege
Federal prosecutors say Sadeghi conspired to obtain U.S.-origin electronic components for a navigation suite called the Sepehr system, which the government says was manufactured by an Iran-based company and was found in a recovered Shahed UAV from the Jan. 28, 2024 Tower 22 attack in Jordan. The Department of Justice alleges that this conduct violated export-control and sanctions laws and has charged Sadeghi with a conspiracy under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a count that carries potential prison time and fines, according to a DOJ press release.
Arrest, Plea and International Fallout
Sadeghi was arrested in December 2024 in Natick and has pleaded not guilty. Local reporting says he was a former employee of Analog Devices who was let go after his arrest. His alleged co-conspirator, Iranian businessman Mohammad Abedini, was detained in Milan at the request of the United States but was released by Italian authorities in January 2025 amid diplomatic friction, according to coverage from ANSA.
Trial Set to Begin Monday
Sadeghi is scheduled to go to trial beginning Monday, June 22, and the proceedings will test whether strict home detention and electronic monitoring will be enough to guarantee that he shows up in court. The judge’s decision to permit pretrial release comes as the government prepares to present evidence that seeks to link the component procurement to the navigation module recovered from the Tower 22 strike, according to Reuters.
Legal Implications
The complaint charges a conspiracy to violate export and sanctions laws that the DOJ says enabled delivery of navigation components used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The IEEPA conspiracy count carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors say the case grew out of FBI and Commerce Department efforts to trace parts from recovered wreckage back to suppliers and buyers, an investigation the Justice Department has called a national security priority, per the DOJ release.
