Washington (Web Desk) — A US federal court has sentenced a Pakistani citizen, Mohammad Pehlwan, to 40 years in prison after finding him guilty of smuggling ballistic missile components and other weapons from Iran to Yemen.
According to the US Department of Justice, Pehlwan was accused of using fishing boats to secretly transport missile parts and arms to Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Pakistani national was captured in January 2024 during a US Navy operation in the Arabian Sea, in which two American sailors lost their lives.
During the court proceedings, Pehlwan’s associates testified against him, claiming that he deceived them and misled the crew by telling them they were working as ordinary fishermen.
US authorities stated that the sentencing demonstrates Washington’s commitment to countering illegal arms trafficking and ensuring that weapons do not reach conflict zones in the Middle East.
