US transfers seized ammunition from Iran’s IRGC to Ukraine: CENTCOM

The United States this week transferred around 1.1 million 7.62mm rounds to Ukraine that had previously been seized from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) while en route to the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, the US Central Command said on Wednesday.

The US acquired ownership of these munitions on July 20, 2023, following the Department of Justice’s civil forfeiture claims against the IRGC, CENTCOM said.

It said that these munitions were initially seized on December 9, 2022 while en route from the IRGC to the Houthis in Yemen in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216.

“The US is committed to working with our allies and partners to counter the flow of Iranian lethal aid in the region by all lawful means including US and UN sanctions and through interdictions,” CENTCOM said.

“Iran’s support for armed groups threatens international and regional security, our forces, diplomatic personnel, and citizens in the region, as well as those of our partners. We will continue to do whatever we can to shed light on and stop Iran’s destabilizing activities,” it added.