A member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF); commander of the Africa operations of the IRGC-QF; linked to a 2010 shipment of weapons, intended for Gambia but seized in Nigeria, that consisted of 240 tons of munitions, including rockets, mortar shells, grenades, and rounds of ammunition; was reportedly sought by Nigerian authorities in connection with the weapons shipment, but claimed diplomatic immunity and took refuge at the Iranian Embassy in Abuja, before returning to Iran; Azim Aghajani was charged in Nigeria with four counts of illegal importation of arms and ammunition in connection with the shipment; according to a U.N. report, the shipment was dispatched by Behineh Trading Company, an IRGC front company; the shipment also involved Ali Abbas Usman Jega and Esmail Ghani.

An Iranian national; born in 1967.

Sanctions

Designated by the U.N. Security Council on April 18, 2012, pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), as a person linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); subsequently designated by U.N. Security Council resolution 2231 (2015); removed from the U.N. list on October 18, 2023, following the expiration of targeted sanctions contained in resolution 2231.

Listed by the European Union on December 1, 2011, as a person linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); with some exceptions, E.U. member states must freeze assets owned or controlled by the person, directly or indirectly, and prevent assets from being made available to the person; with some exceptions, E.U. member states must also prevent the person's entry into or transit through their territories.

Added on March 27, 2012, to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list maintained by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), freezing the person's assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibiting transactions with U.S. parties, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism; also subject to the Iranian Financial Sanctions Regulations; foreign parties facilitating transactions for the person or otherwise assisting the person are subject to U.S. sanctions.

Sanctioned by the governments of Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, restricting business and financial transactions with the person and/or freezing the person's assets in those countries.