US Sends Seized Iranian Arms To Ukraine As New Aid Package Faces Delays In Congress

In a strategic move, the United States has provided Ukraine with a significant amount of infantry weapons and ammunition, which were originally seized from Iran. This development comes as a new aid package faces delays in Congress.

What Happened: The U.S. has delivered a substantial cache of infantry weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, originally intercepted from Iran and intended for Houthi forces in Yemen, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

The shipment, which took place last week, included thousands of infantry weapons and over half a million rounds of ammunition. This transfer is part of the ongoing military support from President Joe Biden‘s administration to assist Ukraine in the conflict against Russian forces.

Amid opposition from Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (R- N.Y.), who has stalled a vote on proposed new security assistance worth $60 billion, the U.S. has been compelled to find alternative sources to supply Kyiv with the necessary arms.

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The equipment dispatched on Apr. 4 is sufficient to fully arm a Ukrainian brigade, according to a statement by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on a social media platform. However, the exact number of troops that can be outfitted with the transferred material was not disclosed.

Iran has denied any ownership of the weapons, with its mission to the United Nations stating they cannot comment on armaments that do not belong to them. The seized munitions, including over 5,000 AK-47 rifles, machine guns, and sniper rifles, were captured from vessels without national flags by U.S. naval forces and their partners between May 2021 and February 2023, as per CENTCOM’s account.

Why It Matters: The U.S. government’s decision to supply Ukraine with intercepted Iranian weapons comes at a critical time. The U.S. has recently committed to a $138 million deal to maintain and upgrade Ukraine’s HAWK air defense systems, bolstering the country’s defenses against aerial threats.

Furthermore, the U.S. military’s recent actions in the Red Sea region include strikes against Houthi air defense and drone systems. These operations are aimed at securing maritime routes and demonstrate the U.S. commitment to countering threats in the region.

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