A Dutch businessman has pleaded guilty to charges of shipping chemicals and other materials to Iran in contravention of a US embargo.

The 50-year-old former manager of a Dutch freight-forwarding company appeared in a court in New Jersey on Monday. He was arrested at Newark Airport in August on suspicion of illegally exporting aircraft parts, peroxide and other goods to Iran in 2007 and 2008.

Under US sanction laws introduced in 1995, the Dutchman would have faced up to 20 years in prison. But now he has confessed - following a deal between prosecution and defence - the sentence will be reduced to a maximum of five years and a 250,000 US dollar fine. The verdict is due on 15 May.

(tt)

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