Iranian couple pleads guilty after June clash with ICE
September 2, 2025Phoenix, AZ, United StatesEnforcement and Removal
PHOENIX — Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand pleaded guilty to possessing firearms and ammunition and his wife, Linet Vartannivartanians, pleaded guilty to threatening federal law enforcement officers Aug. 21. Eidivand is an illegal alien from Iran, and Vartannivartanians is a naturalized U.S. citizen. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations officers arrested the couple in Tempe June 21.
“This was a harrowing situation,” said ERO Phoenix Field Office Director John E. Cantu. “We had an armed illegal alien whose wife was threatening to kill our officers. It’s against the law for illegal aliens to possess firearms and to threaten federal law enforcement personnel. This guilty plea will permit justice to be served, while establishing the rule of law.”
The couple’s sentencing is set for Nov. 26.
Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.gov)
