NEW YORK (AP) — A lawyer says the U.S. government jumped to false conclusions in deciding that a New York skyscraper was secretly run by Iran.
Attorney John Gleeson asked a Manhattan federal court jury to carefully study evidence before deciding if a charity violated sanctions against Iran and should lose its 60 percent stake in the building.
Gleeson delivered his closing argument Monday after a U.S. government lawyer urged a jury to award the U.S. the 36-story office building near Rockefeller Center.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Lockard said evidence proves the Alavi Foundation violated sanctions imposed in 1995.
The U.S. government wants to give proceeds from a sale of the building and other properties to holders of over $5 billion in terrorism-related judgments against the government of Iran.
Deliberations may begin Tuesday.