ATLANTA, Ga. (AP/KTTC) – An Iranian scientist who had plans to visit Rochester last fall for a prestigious visiting position at Mayo Clinic was arrested on arrival in the U.S. in the fall and remains in custody.

Prosecutors in Atlanta have accused professor Masoud Soleimani of violating U.S. Sanctions. They said he and two of his students were conspiring and attempting to export biological materials from the U.S. to Iran without authorization.

The Associated Press reports Soleimani was attempting to reach Mayo Clinic.

Defense attorneys argue no authorization was needed because the proteins in question are medical materials.

The proteins were seized from one of the students at the Atlanta airport as she traveled to Iran in September 2016.

Prosecutors got an indictment in June 2018, and Soleimani was arrested in October.

The two former students live in the U.S. and are free on bond but Soleimani remains in custody.