On April 4, the United States completed the transfer of a significant cache of weapons and ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces. The armaments, which included over 5,000 AK-47s, machine guns, sniper rifles, RPG-7s, and more than 500,000 rounds of ammunition, were seized by U.S. Central Command and partner naval forces from vessels in the Arabian Sea en route from Iran to Yemen.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted the dual purpose of the weapons transfer, stating, "With this weapons transfer, the United States government is both disrupting Iran’s destabilizing efforts and supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s brutal, unprovoked invasion."
Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen emphasized the importance of the action, stating, "As we see Russia and Iran engaging in conduct to undermine global security, the Department of Justice is taking deadly weapons out of the hands of terrorists and putting them into the hands of Ukrainians defending their homeland."
U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia underscored the significance of civil forfeiture in disrupting terrorist organizations, stating, "Civil forfeiture remains an important tool in our efforts to stop or disrupt terrorist organizations like the IRGC."
The weapons seized were determined to be primarily of Iranian, Chinese, or Russian origin, underscoring the illicit trafficking of advanced conventional weapons systems by sanctioned entities. This action is part of a larger effort to address the Iranian regime’s support of military activities in the region.
The transfer of these weapons followed a successful forfeiture action in March 2023, where over one million rounds of ammunition en route from Iran to Yemen were also transferred to the Ukrainian armed forces. These actions are aimed at disrupting the clandestine shipping of weapons by sanctioned entities that pose threats to U.S. national security.
The investigation into the Iranian weapons-smuggling network is ongoing, with the HSI Washington Field Office and the DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office leading the effort, supported by the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
Overall, the transfer of these weapons to the Ukrainian armed forces represents a significant step in disrupting illicit arms trafficking and supporting Ukraine's defense efforts against external aggression.