Latest news with #Akbari
Shafaq News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iran thwarts major cyberattack amid port explosion and nuclear talks
Shafaq News/ Iran repelled a complex cyberattack targeting its infrastructure on Sunday, according to Behzad Akbari, head of the Infrastructure Communications Company. The incident occurred a day after a powerful explosion damaged the country's most important container port and coincided with the conclusion of a third round of nuclear negotiations with the United States in Oman. "One of the most widespread and complex cyberattacks against the country's infrastructure was identified, and preventive measures were taken," Akbari stated on Monday, as reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency. He did not provide further details. On Saturday, a large explosion rocked Iran's largest container port, Bandar Abbas, causing at least 40 deaths and 1,200 injuries. The cause of the blast remains unclear, though initial reports suggested that chemicals at the port may have contributed. Iran has previously accused its arch-foe Israel of orchestrating cyberattacks on its infrastructure. In October 2021, a cyberattack paralyzed all 4,300 gas stations across the country, disrupting the use of government-issued fuel cards and displaying anti-government messages on digital billboards. Iranian officials attributed the attack to the United States and Israel. In December 2023, another cyberattack disrupted approximately 70% of Iran's petrol stations. A hacking group known as "Predatory Sparrow," which has been linked to Israel, claimed responsibility, stating that the attack was in retaliation for the Islamic Republic's regional activities. The group has also been associated with cyberattacks on Iran's steel industry and other critical infrastructure.
USA Today
02-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
2 men charged in scheme to procure U.S.-made parts for Iranian government
2 men charged in scheme to procure U.S.-made parts for Iranian government Show Caption Hide Caption Iran behind Trump campaign hack, FBI says The FBI and other federal agencies believe that Iran was responsible for the cyber attack on former President Donald Trump's campaign. Fox - 32 Chicago Two men and an Iran-based company were charged for their roles in an illicit weapons procurement network that benefited Iran, the Justice Department announced. Hossein Akbari and Rexa Amidi concealed Rah Roshd's identity to evade U.S.-imposed sanctions on Iran and buy American parts for Iran's drones since 2020, the Justice Department said in a Tuesday release. Rah Roshd is an Iranian company that manufactures ground support systems for attack drones and provides security systems to the government of Iran, the Justice Department said. Some of the parts Akbari and Amidi acquired were found on an Iranian-made attack drone the Russian military used in Ukraine, prosecutors said. The Ukrainian Air Force shot the device down in September 2022. Akbari is the CEO of Rah Roshd and Amidi works as a commercial manager. Rah Roshd's clients included Iranian state-owned aerospace company Qods Aviation Industries and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, prosecutors said. According to the National Counter Terrorism Center, the IRGC is a branch of the Iranian armed forces and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. 'The allegations in this case demonstrate the lengths Iranian companies take to evade U.S. sanctions, victimize U.S. businesses, and support the IRGC's production of drones,' Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division said in the release. Akbari and Amidi were also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. The Justice Department said Akbari and Amidi are both citizens of Iran and remain at large. Feds: Akbari, Amidi concealed their names According to court papers, Akbari and Amidi used aliases and posed as employees of several companies, including one from the United Arab Emirates, throughout the scheme to evade detection from the U.S. The two men also used shell companies to pay a Chinese company for parts and hide where shipments were being sent. Akbari and Amidi would enter agreements with each other "and with others" to export items from the U.S., and reship them to Iran, an FBI agent wrote in charging documents. "In connection with this agreement, between in or around January 2020 and February 2024, Amidi frequently sent emails to Akbari requesting that Akbari provide price quotations for electronic parts that Amidi specified (including by manufacturer and quantity) so that Amidi could send those prices to the defendants' customers," the agent wrote. "Akbari, using the aliases 'Danial Yousef' and 'Danial White,' then requested quotations for such parts from supplier companies based in China, the United Arab Emirates, and Germany, among other countries, and forwarded those companies' prices to Amidi." In one instance, a supplier in China quoted parts made by a Brooklyn, New York, company. Iran then used those parts to make the Mohajer-6 drone and supplied the Russian military with the drone. The Ukrainian Air Force shot down the drone in September 2022 and discovered parts from several American companies. Prosecutors said the IRGC thanked Rah Roshd for its work on behalf of the military. It also praised "Rah Roshd's achievements in designing and manufacturing 'servo motors' for defense equipment." Investigators found documents showing that Akbari and Amidi purchased the motors for delivery to Iran. One of the motors was found on the downed Mohajer-6 drone. Treasury Department sanctions several for providing parts to Iran The U.S. Treasury Department announced Tuesday that it sanctioned several people and entities that it believes are helping the Iranian government and state-affiliated companies acquire drone parts. The department said the action targets "Iranian weapons proliferators." The department issued the sanctions against Iranians Amidi, Akbari and Abbas Yousefnejad, an alternate inspector for Rah Roshd; as well as several companies based in the UAE, Iran and China, according to the release. The move generally prohibits any people or companies in the U.S. from doing any business with the targets and freezes U.S.-held assets. 'Iran's proliferation of UAVs and missiles — both to its terrorist proxies in the region and to Russia for its use against Ukraine — continues to threaten civilians, U.S. personnel, and our allies and partners,' said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. 'Treasury will continue to disrupt Iran's military-industrial complex and its proliferation of UAVs, missiles, and conventional weapons that often end up in the hands of destabilizing actors, including terrorist proxies.' Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at knurse@ Follow her on X @KrystalRNurse, and on BlueSky @
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Two Iranians charged with procuring US drone parts
Two Iranian businessmen have been indicted for allegedly conspiring to procure US parts to build military attack drones, the Justice Department said Tuesday. Hossein Akbari, 63, and Reza Amidi, 62, are charged with money laundering and providing material support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the United States has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. According to court documents, Akbari is chief executive of a company called Rah Roshd while Amidi is the commercial manager. The Justice Department said Akbari and Amidi, who previously worked at Qods Aviation Industries (QAI), an Iranian state-owned aerospace company, are both at large. "The defendants conspired to obtain US-origin parts needed to manufacture drones for military use in Iran and send those parts to Iran in violation of export control laws," US Attorney John Durham said in a statement. "The IRGC and QAI have been core players in the Iranian military regime's production of drones, which threaten the lives of civilians, US personnel and our country's allies." According to the Justice Department, Akbari and Amidi have evaded US sanctions since 2020 to procure US parts for use in Iranian-made drones, including the Mohajer-6. A Mohajer-6 drone used by the Russian military was shot down by the Ukranian Air Force in September 2022 and found to have parts manufactured by several US-based companies, it said. cl/des
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
TN lawmaker proposes allowing for 12-month supply of birth control in bill
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Memphis Democrat wants those buying birth control to be able to receive one year's supply in the state of Tennessee. Sen. Raumesh Akbari has proposed SB 589, which would require all health plans, as defined in state law, to provide contraceptive coverage in 12-month refills of the drug at one time for someone insured. According to present law, health plans that provide prescription coverage for birth control must allow for 12-month supplies unless the patient requests a smaller amount; however, present law does not require a health benefit plan to cover contraceptives provided by a doctor or at a pharmacy that does not participate in that specific plan. Akbari's bill would change the definition of 'health benefit plan' to include a 'hospital, surgical, or medical expense policy; health, hospital or medical service corporation contract; a policy or agreement entered into by a health insurer, or a health maintenance organization contract offered by an employer; other plan administered by the state; or a certificate issued under those policies, contracts or plans.' The bill would also prohibit any health plan that provides hormonal contraceptive coverage from imposing 'utilization controls' or other forms of 'medical management' that limit the supply of contraceptives to anything less than a 12-month supply. Additionally, the bill revises the definition of 'contraceptive' to remove the requirement that the contraceptive be one that is 'legally marketed' by the FDA. ⏩ According to the fiscal note on the bill, estimates on how much the bill could cost up to $1.4 million starting in Fiscal Year 2026. The effective date on the bill would be Jan. 1, 2026. Lawmakers were set to discuss the bill in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee on Tuesday, March 25. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
TN Schools Could Exclude Immigrant Kids Without Legal Status in GOP-Backed Bill
Tennessee lawmakers on Wednesday voted to advance a bill that would require public K-12 and charter schools to verify student immigration status and allow them to bar children who cannot prove they lawfully reside in the United States unless they pay tuition. The 5-4 vote by the Senate Education Committee came despite the Legislature's own fiscal analysis, which said the proposed legislation 'may jeopardize federal funding to the state and to local governments' and violate the federal Civil Rights Act, which specifically prohibits discrimination based on national origin in programs receiving federal dollars. Three Republicans joined the committee's sole Democrat in voting 'no.' Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Immediately after the vote was cast, shouts of 'so shameful' and 'that's trash' erupted inside the hearing room. Others, including school-age children in attendance, streamed out of the room in tears. The bill (HB793/SB836) by Sen. Bo Watson, a Hixson Republican, and House Majority Leader William Lamberth, a Portland Republican, says that local school districts and public charter schools 'shall require' students to provide one of three forms of documentation: proof of U.S. citizenship, proof the student is in the process of obtaining citizenship or proof they have legal immigration status or a visa. Students who lack one of the three forms of documentation could then be barred by their local school district from enrolling unless their parents paid tuition. Watson, the bill's sponsor, said he brought the measure in response to the increasing cost to the state of providing English-as-a-second-language instruction. 'Remember, we are not talking about people who are here lawfully,' Watson said. 'What I'm trying to discuss here is the financial burden that exists with what appears to be an increasing number of people who are not lawfully here.' In response to a question from Sen. Raumesh Akbari of Memphis, the sole Democrat on the panel, Watson said he had received no formal request from any school official to introduce the measure. 'In an official capacity, this is one of those issues people do not talk about,' Watson said. 'This is a very difficult bill to present. It is very difficult to have all these eyes on you.' 'In an unofficial capacity at numerous events, have people mentioned this problem to me? Absolutely,' Watson said. Akbari responded: 'I'm from the largest school district in the state. I have not had those conversations.' 'I am offended by this legislation,' Akbari said. 'I find that it is so antithetical to the very foundation of this country….This is saying that babies – you start school at five years old – that you do not deserve to be educated.' The bill's sponsors have acknowledged the measure is likely to face a legal challenge if enacted. The proposed legislation, they have said, is intended to serve as a vehicle to potentially overturn the Supreme Court's Plyler v. Doe decision, which established a constitutional right to a public school education for all children. The 1982 decision was decided by a 5-4 vote, Watson noted. 'Many 5-4 decisions taken to the court today might have a different outcome,' Watson said. The proposed legislation is part of an unprecedented slate of immigration-related bills introduced in the Tennessee legislature this year as Gov. Bill Lee and the General Assembly's GOP supermajority seek to align with the Trump Administration's immigration policies. Lee last month signed into law legislation to create a state immigration enforcement office to liaise with the Trump administration, create distinct driver's licenses for noncitizens and levy felony charges at local elected officials who vote in favor of sanctuary policies. Among nearly three dozen other immigration-related bills still being considered is one to require hospitals that accept Medicaid payments to report on the immigration status of their patients. Another bill would open up charitable organizations, including churches, to lawsuits if they have provided housing services to an individual without permanent legal immigration status and that individual goes on to commit a crime. Following Wednesday's hearing in the Senate Education Committee, hundreds congregated in a hallway of the Legislature, chanting 'education for all' and pledged to return as the bill winds through the committee process. The bill 'instills fear and hopelessness in these students,' said Ruby Aguilar, a Nashville teacher who testified against the bill during the hearing. 'Education is not merely a privilege, it is a shared human right every child should have access to.' Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@
