US: Over 1 Million Iranian Ammunition Seized in Middle East Transferred to Ukraine

Disruption in Ukraine Aid Amid US Congressional Turmoil
Concerns Raised Over Opposition from Russia, Iran, and the UN

The U.S. government announced that it will provide over one million rounds of Iranian-made ammunition and weapons seized in the Middle East to the Ukrainian military. As the passage of additional aid bills to Ukraine has been delayed due to the unprecedented removal of the Speaker of the House in the U.S., the support using seized weapons is expected to expand going forward. However, opposition from Russia and Iran is anticipated, and since the United Nations' policy is to store or dispose of seized weapons, it is expected that there will be unavoidable controversies under international law in the future.

The image shows Iranian weapons seized by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in the waters near Oman last January. They are believed to have been smuggled to the Yemeni Houthi rebels. [Image source: U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) website]

According to CNN on the 4th (local time), the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it transferred 1.1 million rounds of 7.62mm ammunition seized in the Middle East region to the Ukrainian military on the 2nd. CENTCOM stated that the ammunition was seized last December from a stateless vessel transporting the cargo from Iran to the Houthi forces in Yemen.

As the U.S. military is expected to continue supporting Ukraine with seized weapons, a massive amount of arms is anticipated to be delivered to Ukraine. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Iranian ammunition and weapons seized in July included over 9,000 rifles, 284 machine guns, 194 rocket launchers, 70 anti-tank guided missiles, and more than 700,000 rounds of ammunition, representing a huge quantity.

The reason the U.S. military is providing seized weapons to Ukraine is interpreted as a result of severe turmoil in the U.S. Congress, including the unprecedented removal of the Speaker of the House, which has stalled additional aid bills for Ukraine. Amid growing negative public opinion in Western countries, especially in Europe, due to the prolonged war, U.S. additional support is expected to be delayed for a considerable period, raising concerns about worsening weapon shortages on the front lines.

Jonathan Lord, head of the Middle East Security Program at the U.S. Institute of Peace, told CNN in an interview, "This U.S. provision of Iranian seized weapons may not be a solution that meets all the needs of the Ukrainian military, but it can be a significant support," adding, "It could also create a rift between Iran and Russia, whose relationship has deepened through arms supplies for the Ukraine war."

However, strong opposition from Russia and Iran is expected, and there are concerns that the United Nations will raise procedural issues. The UN has so far maintained a principle of storing or disposing of seized weapons. CNN pointed out that the U.S. government has not yet clarified which laws will be applied to this seized weapons support.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.