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The Agent from Iran

How a mother of two ended up in a plot to smuggle high-tech gear to the enemy.

A A A Comments (8) By Deirdra Funcheon Thursday, Jan 8 2009

Gholikhan's emotional yet convoluted story was a hard act to follow for prosecutor Michael Walleisa.

"It's normal to have sympathy for the items she has put before you," he said to the jury. "But this defendant is intelligent, resourceful, cunning, manipulative, deceitful, and independent. And she proved that with her own testimony." In closing arguments, Walleisa reviewed the evidence: The phone numbers all matched up. She admitted sending e-mails. And Farideh Fahimi kept mentioning she had a heart problem. The coincidences were too great to ignore. On the contrary, Gholikhan's wild tale of victimization was just that — a tale.

Gholikhan (left) says her ex-husband was a manipulative and sadistic man.

Shahrzad Mir Gholikhan with ex-husband Mahmoud Seif.

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On the ninth day of trial, after a day and a half of deliberation, the federal jury made its call. It found Gholikhan guilty on three counts related to exporting weapons and not guilty on the three related conspiracy counts. Sentencing is set for March.

As she packed up her yellow legal pads and U.S. marshals led her away by the elbow, Gholikhan said she felt "the prejudice of the American nation." But it was okay. "I won't give up. I will appeal. God is here."

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09/13/2011 6:20:00 PM

What a piece of propaganda from Miami to the world. "Men can have multiple wives", super relevant to this case to try to demonize a culture and nation like that from the comfort of an excuse-of-a-journalist's sit. It is like saying the author of this cultural propaganda pamphlet belongs to the secularist ideology, which relies on the beheading of tens of thousands of political opponents in France. And that explains a text heavy on literary prose and weak on facts.

M,T 12/06/2009 1:24:00 PM

To those who believe her, may God bless you, Regardless to the people whom they are rude and accusing Shahrzad with out knowing any thing about her internal life and personality, I know Shahrzad very well, she is not liar it means she can�t be a liar. I am totally agreed with all of Cora�s comments and moreover Shahrzad is a great and strong mother with her own believes, I knew her since few years and am really proud of knowing such a brave woman which I have never seen in my life on term of saying the right and great sense of personality. She left her country to live in peace in Cyprus with her twin daughters to avoid any interrupt from her x husband�s side in her life as he is in government and easily he can create them lots of problems. I wish that I could do some thing for her. She doesn�t deserve to stay in gale even for 1 day. I�m sure that she will demonstrate the world her innocent and guiltless. I don�t know that am goanna be a life or lucky to meet her again or not just may Gog bless Shahrzad and return her to her twin daughters ASAP. M.......T...

HAL TRIPP 01/28/2009 7:27:00 AM

LET ME GUESS, THIS WOMAN IS STAYING IN A HOTEL IN VIENNA, A HOTBED FOR IRANIAN SPIES ,SHE AND HER EX HUSBAND ARE PAYING 500 DOLLARS A NIGHT AND SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHY SHE IS THERE.HONEY,THE PARTY IS OVER,YOU WILL STAY IN A WARM AND CLEAN MIAMI JAIL FOR 20 YEARS, SHES A DAMN TRAITER,TRYING TO KILL OUR YOUNG BOYS IN IRAQ.LET HER ROT IN JAIL WITH HER HUSBAND.

Cora Ortiz 01/17/2009 7:46:00 PM

Dear God, please forgive those people who are so rude and prejudice for they don't know what they are saying. To those who believe her, may God bless you more. I've know Shahrzad for quite a while, one thing I know about her is that she is NOT a liar. She do what she promised and she is the woman with a great sense of responsibility. She is innocent, she is only guilty by marrying her husband who is the main reason why her life is miserable. She is a great mother and very good friend. She is a woman with great ambition for her kids. One thing I know for sure, as a mother she will not stake the future of her children if she only knew what will happen in Vienna. She told me the same story 3 years ago and the way I red it in the article it's the same except for some names which I don't remember. But it's all true. For God's sake, please give justice to her. Please... her two children are waiting for her.

HAL TRIPP 01/14/2009 1:30:00 AM

IMAGINE IF WE DIDN'T HAVE WESTEN AGENTS WATCHING PEOPLE LIKE THIS COUPLE,WE WOULD BE SENT BACK TO THE 18 CENTURY,THE LEADER OF IRAN HAS PUT HIS NATION BACK TO THE STONE AGE.ALL THEY WANT IS TO DESTROY THE U.S.A. , ISRAEL AND WESTERN EUROPE BACK TOTHE STONE AGE.IRAN IS A COUNTRY WHERE ALL THE PRESS AND FREEDOM UNDER CONTROL BY A GROUP OF DEMENTED MULLAHS.WITH THE PRICE OF OIL AT 38 DOLLARS A BARREL, THEIR LEADERS ARE SINKING IN QUICK SAND, PEOPLE IN TEHRAN WAIT ALL DAY TO PUT 10 LITERS OF FUEL FOR THEIR CARS.SINCE THEIR REVOLUTION,THE IRANIAN LEADERSHIP HAVE BEEN MILKING THEIR OIL RESOURCES WITHOUT PUTTING ONE CENT IN DEVELOPEMENT,EVERYONE IN THE STREETS WATCH OER THEIR BACK IN FEAR OF THE SECRET POLICE WHERE ONE WORD AGINST THE GOVERNMENT PUTS YOU IN JAIL FOR 20 YEARS.GOD HELP US IF IRAN EVER GETS THE NUCLEAR BOMB.PUT THESE 2 PARASITES AWAY FOR 30 YEARS.

nina 01/10/2009 7:23:00 PM

I don't believe any of her lies for a second. She was a translator.. she knew exactly what was being said. These terrorists get away with murder all the time, for once, people need to stop buying into their lies and lock them up.. for life.

roberto jimenez 01/09/2009 5:39:00 AM

How is Iran our enemy? They have done nothing to us compared to Israel. We are so one the wrong side of this game. i know hezbollah had to do with the attacks in lebanon in the '80's, so all you Israel-firsters can skip that comment.

The Agent from Iran

How a mother of two ended up in a plot to smuggle high-tech gear to the enemy.

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