LONDON: A Pakistani national has been sentenced to 40 years in a United States prison for smuggling Iranian-made ballistic missile parts and other advanced weapon components to Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Muhammad Pahlawan, 49, was convicted on five counts, including terrorism-related offences and transporting weapons of mass destruction. He was sentenced by the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, with prosecutors calling his role part of a “larger, coordinated operation” directed by two Iranian brothers allegedly linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Pahlawan was detained in January 2024 during a US Navy operation in the Arabian Sea. The interdiction cost the lives of two Navy SEALs, who drowned while attempting to board his fishing vessel, the Yunus.
US authorities said the smuggling ring had delivered missile and warhead components on at least two prior voyages in October and December 2023, using fishing boats to transfer cargo at sea near Somalia. The seized shipment included ballistic missile parts, anti-ship cruise missile components, and a warhead — described by prosecutors as “among the most sophisticated weapons systems Iran proliferates to terrorist groups.”
Court records showed Pahlawan was paid 1.4 billion Iranian rials (approx. $33,000) for his role. He coordinated directly with Yunus and Shahab Mir’kazei, identified by US officials as Iranian nationals affiliated with the IRGC.
His crew — all Pakistani men recruited under the guise of fishing work — testified they were unaware of the true nature of the cargo until their arrest. Several said they had been instructed to load heavy packages in the Iranian port of Chabahar and later transfer them at sea to unidentified men. One sailor told the court that when he asked Pahlawan what was inside, he was told to “mind his own business.”
Text messages entered as evidence showed Pahlawan anticipated the risks. Days before departure, he told his wife in Pakistan: “Just pray that we come back safely… such is the nature of the job.”
During sentencing, prosecutors described Pahlawan as a “seasoned smuggler” who knowingly transported weapons destined for attacks by the Houthis. His lawyer sought leniency, citing his family’s hardship, but the court ruled the severity of his crimes warranted the 40-year sentence.
The case highlights Washington’s ongoing efforts to intercept Iranian arms shipments to Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have stepped up missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea and against Israel since late 2023.
