CLEVELAND — An Iranian scientist who was acquitted in a U.S. trade secrets case has been deported from the U.S. and is returning to Iran.
Sirous Asgari had been indicted in 2016 then acquitted in November of trying to steal secret research from Case Western Reserve University.
The Cleveland school had been working on a U.S. Navy project to create and produce anti-corrosive stainless steel.
Iran's foreign minister announced on Instagram that Asgari was on a flight back to Iran. Iranian state-run media have not reported on the flight.
A U.S. official earlier said Asgari's deportation had been delayed for months by the coronavirus pandemic and Iranian passport issues.