A Pakistani national, Muhammad Pahlawan, has received a 40-year prison sentence in the United States for his involvement in smuggling ballistic missile parts from Iran to Houthi rebels in Yemen. Pahlawan was apprehended in January 2024 during a US Navy operation in the Arabian Sea, an operation that tragically resulted in the drowning of two US Navy SEALs.
Testimonies from Pahlawan’s crew revealed they were misled into participating, believing they were on a fishing expedition. However, Pahlawan was fully aware of the dangerous nature of the cargo, referring to himself as a “walking dead person” in communications with his wife shortly before his arrest.
The intercepted vessel, the Yunus, was found to be carrying sophisticated weapons systems, including Iranian-made ballistic missile components and a warhead. Prosecutors described these as “some of the most sophisticated weapon systems that Iran proliferates to other terrorist groups.” Pahlawan received his sentence after being convicted on five counts, including terrorism offenses and transporting weapons of mass destruction.
The smuggling operation, allegedly orchestrated by two Iranian brothers affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), highlights a critical supply chain for the Houthi rebel group, which has been targeting international shipping in the Red Sea. The disruption caused by these attacks has led many shipping companies to reroute their vessels, significantly impacting global trade.
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