Judge Releases Iranian-Born Engineer on Bail Ahead of Drone Attack Trial

A U.S. judge allowed Iranian-born engineer Mahdi Sadeghi to be released on bail days before his trial for charges related to a drone attack on a U.S. base in Jordan. Sadeghi, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen, is charged with conspiracy to procure technology for Iran’s military drones.

In a significant legal development, a U.S. judge has permitted Mahdi Sadeghi, an engineer originally from Iran, to be released on bail. This decision arrives just days before his trial for his alleged role in a fatal drone attack on a U.S. military installation in Jordan, conducted by Iran-supported combatants in 2024.

Judge Indira Talwani of Boston had previously denied bail to Sadeghi due to fears he might abscond to evade the trial. Sadeghi faces accusations of conspiring to unlawfully obtain technology for navigation systems employed in Iranian military drones.

The prosecution asserts that this technology was integral to the drone strike that targeted a U.S. station near the Syrian border. The attack resulted in the deaths of three soldiers and injuries to 47 others. However, changes arising from the ongoing conflict in Iran influenced the judge's recent decision.