Four Foreign Nationals Brought to U.S. to Face Charges for Transporting Iranian-Made Weapons

Four individuals accused of transporting Iranian-made weapons on a vessel that led to the deaths of two U.S. Navy SEALs have been brought to the U.S. to face criminal charges. The defendants appeared in court on Thursday for their first hearing. 

The suspects were apprehended when a U.S. Navy ship intercepted their small boat in the Arabian Sea on Jan. 11. The vessel was allegedly en route to Yemen and was carrying advanced conventional weaponry believed to be of Iranian origin. Additionally, it was transporting components for medium-range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles, as well as a warhead, likely intended for Houthi rebels in Yemen. 

Mission and charges

Two SEALs were lost at sea during the mission, while the remaining suspects and potential witnesses are now in U.S. custody. The individuals denied smuggling the weapons but admitted to being drug smugglers. Muhammad Pahlawan was identified as the leader of the group and has been charged with providing false information to investigators and unlawfully transporting explosive material on a ship. 

The FBI and NCIS twice interviewed Pahlawan, who denied being the captain of the boat or knowing about the weaponry, although multiple crew members stated otherwise. The suspects and witnesses made their initial court appearances in Virginia on Thursday. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the charges resulting from the interdiction make clear that the Justice Department will use every legal authority to hold accountable those who facilitate the flow of weapons from Iran to Houthi rebel forces, Hamas, and other groups that threaten the security of the United States and its allies. 

The Houthi rebels have been attacking or threatening ships in the Red Sea in response to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, leading to retaliatory U.S. military strikes targeting the Houthis.