London [UK] October 20 : A Pakistani arms trafficker who employed a fishing vessel to transport ballistic missile components from Iran to Houthi forces in Yemen received a 40-year prison sentence in the US after being convicted on five charges.
As reported by Geo News, Muhammad Pahlawan was captured during a US military operation in the Arabian Sea in January 2024. US authorities stated that two Navy SEALs lost their lives during this operation. According to the US case, Pahlawan's crew, who claimed to be fishermen, testified that they were misled into participating and were unaware of the actual plan. At that time, the Houthis had initiated missile and drone assaults against Israel, stating they were acting in solidarity with the people in Gaza.
Prosecutors in the US highlighted that the parts discovered on Pahlawan's vessel were among "the most advanced weapon systems that Iran distributes to other terrorist organisations." The 49-year-old received his sentence after being found guilty on five counts, which included offences related to terrorism and the transportation of weapons of mass destruction. His conviction encompassed a total of 480 months, equating to 40 years.
The eight crew members who testified during the trial insisted they were oblivious to the contents of the sizable packages onboard the boat, identified as the Yunus. In text messages exchanged with his wife in Pakistan in the days leading up to the January 2024 trip that would lead to his arrest, Pahlawan referred to himself as a "walking dead person," as reported by Geo News.
The prosecution informed the court that Pahlawan was compensated 1,400 million rials (£25,200; $33,274), which was "part of a larger operation" orchestrated by two Iranian siblings, Yunus and Shahab Mir'kazei. The US authorities assert that the Mir'kazei brothers have connections with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Pahlawan completed two smuggling missions before his capture, one in October 2023 and another two months later. The dozen men he recruited to join him were all from Pakistan and had crossed the border into Iran seeking employment. Before embarking on the December journey, the US court heard that the crew was instructed to load large packages onto the vessel in Chabahar, located on Iran's southern coast, as highlighted by Geo News.