US FBI agents have arrested an Iranian academic, Childhood Café Afrasiyabi, born and residing in the US, for violating the Agent Registration Act (FARA).

Federal prosecutors said the Iranian author, who introduced himself as an expert in foreign relations and political scientist, was in fact a spokesperson for the Iranian government, and was charged with violating a law requiring foreign agents to register with the US government.
And his discovery may lead to a (deep) network operating in the United States for the benefit of Iran.

Afrasiabi appeared Tuesday, in front of a federal court in Boston, in a court session through the application of "Zoom", after he was arrested in the state of Massachusetts, where he lives, and the US authorities issued a detention order, until his arrest session scheduled for Friday.

The complaint against Afrasiabi indicates that the Foreign Agents Registration Act exists to “prevent covert influence by foreign directors” in the United States, as agents of other governments are required to disclose their activities and the payments that are disbursed to them in exchange for their work on behalf of other countries.

The US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York is handling the case, and Afrasiabi is expected to be transferred to New York to face the charges.

The Washington Post reported that many payments from the mission to Afrasiabi were processed by a financial institution in Queens from July 2007 to November 2020, with the Iranian academic claiming to have received at least $ 265,000 and was provided with other benefits as an employee of the mission.

According to investigators, Afrasiabi was paid and received health care benefits from Iran while working as a "secret spokesman for the Iranian government." Officials noted that his duties included "discussing Iran's nuclear policy in discussions with US officials, while presenting himself as an independent expert." .