Russia charges man with smuggling to Iran

Tag : Used Chemical Equipment

The metal in question is tantalum, the Russian Prosecutor General'sOffice said. It can be used in the production of chemicalprocessing equipment, nuclear reactors and missile parts, and issubject to export restrictions under Russian law.
Tantalum powder, a super-grade chemical, can also be used in themanufacture of mobile phones, personal computers, motor vehiclesand electronics goods.
Prosecutors in southern Russia's Astrakhan region, across the Caspian Sea from Iran, have senttheir case against Anar Godzhayev to court, the ProsecutorGeneral's Office said in a statement. That means Godzhayev, acitizen of Uzbekistan, could face trial soon.
He and his lawyers were not immediately available to comment.Godzhayev is being held in Astrakhan.
Prosecutors claim Godzhayev lied about the contents of an outgoingshipment in customs documents after a business partner, in July2007, asked him to send more than a ton of materials containingtantalum to Iran. He was detained after customs officials checkedthe shipment in a container on a boat due to leave for Iran.
Russia supports Iran's right to nuclear energy and is building thenation's first nuclear power plant.
While Russian leaders have said there is no evidence proving claimsby the U.S. and other Western countries that Iran is seeking todevelop nuclear weapons, Moscow is involved in internationalefforts to persuade Iran to ease those fears by abandoning uraniumenrichment.
Russia has also questioned U.S. assessments of the potential threatfrom Iranian missiles.
But amid tense ties, Russia and the United States say they arecooperating well in efforts to thwart the proliferation of weaponsof mass destruction.
Godzhayev could be sentenced to seven years in prison if convicted.