US Sends Seized Iranian Weapons to Support Ukraine

Last week, the US Central Command announced that it had transferred thousands of machine guns, sniper rifles, rocket launchers, and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition seized from Iran to Ukraine.

Ukraine has been facing shortages of weapons and munitions in its war against Russia. The US has been unable to send more equipment from its own stockpiles until Congress approves more funding.

CENTCOM announced that the equipment sent to Ukraine is sufficient to outfit one Ukrainian brigade, which consists of about 4,000 personnel, with small-arms rifles. According to CENTCOM, these weapons will assist Ukraine in defending against the invasion by Russia.

The munitions were initially confiscated by the US military and its allies from four different stateless vessels between May 22, 2021, and February 15, 2023. However, it was not until December of last year that the US government officially gained ownership of the equipment through the Justice Department's civil forfeiture process, as stated by CENTCOM.

The US has previously transferred seized Iranian military equipment to the Ukrainians. In October, CNN reported that over one million rounds of seized Iranian ammunition were given to the Ukrainian armed forces.

Over the past year, the US Navy has confiscated thousands of Iranian assault rifles and more than one million rounds of ammunition from vessels used by Iran to transport weapons to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. These seizures, often done with regional partner forces, focus on small stateless vessels that historically smuggle weapons to the Houthis.

For the last year, the Biden administration has been working to legally send the seized weapons, which are stored in CENTCOM facilities across the Middle East, to the Ukrainians.

Editor's P/S:

The US transfer of confiscated Iranian weapons to Ukraine is a significant development in the ongoing conflict. This move demonstrates the Biden administration's commitment to supporting Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression while simultaneously disrupting Iran's arms trade. The weapons and ammunition, which have been seized over the past year, will help replenish Ukraine's dwindling supplies and provide much-needed firepower for its troops.

The fact that the US has been working for the past year to legally transfer these weapons underscores the complexity and challenges involved in such an operation. The process requires careful coordination among various government agencies, including the Justice Department, the Department of Defense, and the State Department. It also involves navigating legal obstacles, such as ensuring that the weapons are not used for unauthorized purposes.