http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/18/world/americas/turkey-reza-zarrab-gold-trader.html 2016-10-18 04:45:51 U.S. Can Pursue Turk Accused of Conspiring to Violate Iran Sanctions A federal judge refused to dismiss an indictment against Reza Zarrab, a gold trader jailed in New York who prosecutors say facilitated millions in transactions on behalf of Iran. === A federal judge in Manhattan refused on Monday to dismiss an indictment against a Turkish gold trader, Prosecutors have accused Mr. Zarrab, 33, of facilitating millions of dollars in transactions on behalf of Iran and other sanctioned entities through the use of false documentation and front companies. He has also been charged with conspiracies to commit money laundering and bank fraud. Mr. Zarrab’s lawyers had asked the judge, Richard M. Berman of Federal District Court, to dismiss the indictment, calling the government’s case “unprecedented” and “a prosecutorial overreach of the first order.” Judge Berman, in rejecting the defense arguments, ruled that the indictment clearly set forth the required elements for the charges.“The dismissal of an indictment is an ‘extraordinary remedy’ reserved only for extremely limited circumstances implicating fundamental rights,” he wrote. The case of Mr. Zarrab, who has pleaded not guilty, has been closely watched in Recently, Mr. Erdogan has said that he had raised Mr. Zarrab’s case with Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. during talks at the United Nations, according to Turkish news reports. Mr. Erdogan has also said there were “malicious intentions” in the prosecution of Mr. Zarrab, according to the reports. In seeking dismissal of the charges, Mr. Zarrab’s lawyers argued that the United States sanctions laws were “limited to U.S. persons and exports from the U.S.” The prosecutor’s efforts to extend those laws in Mr. Zarrab’s case, the defense said, “is not only unjustified and a due process violation, it is a dangerous extension of U.S. law that should not be allowed.” The office of Benjamin Brafman, a lawyer for Mr. Zarrab, and Mr. Bharara’s office each had no comment on the judge’s ruling. Mr. Zarrab, who is being