US seizes large Iranian arms shipment in Arabian Sea

 

You detain 10 of our sailors, we’ll take a boatload of arms:

The crew of a U.S. Navy ship stopped a massive Iranian arms shipment dead in its tracks, seizing thousands of weapons, AK-47 rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers that likely were headed to Yemen, the Pentagon announced Monday.

The seizure, which unfolded in the Arabian Sea on March 28, was the third of its kind in recent weeks, military officials say. Iran has been supporting Houthi rebels in Yemen in their proxy war against a Saudi-led coalition backed by the United States. Like Iran, the Houthis are a Shia-led group.

The arms shipment appears to mark the latest provocative action from the defiant Islamic republic, which reported last month that it tested missiles marked with the phrase “Israel must be wiped out.” And on Monday, the Iranian government warned the U.S. to butt out of trying to control its missile program. “The White House should know that defense capacities and missile power, specially at the present juncture where plots and threats are galore, is among the Iranian nation’s red lines… and we don’t allow anyone to violate it,” Deputy Chief of Staff Brig-Gen Maassoud Jazzayeri told state media.

On Friday, President Obama said Iran was obeying the “letter” of its landmark nuclear agreement with the West, but not the “spirit” of it.

According to the Navy, the shipment included 1,500 AK-47s, 200 rocket-propelled grenade launchers and 21 .50-caliber machine guns.

Published in Foreign Policy, Islamist Terrorism, Military
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  1. Scott Wilmot Member
    Scott Wilmot
    @ScottWilmot

    Ricochet Editor's Desk: On Friday, President Obama said Iran was obeying the “letter” of its landmark nuclear agreement with the West, but not the “spirit” of it.

    And that is also going to worry a lot of businessmen.

    Obama and Kerry are morons.

    • #1
  2. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    Well the Kurds fighting ISIS could use some weapons, or those fighting the Houthi’s can use them, or those Syrians fighting Assad could use them.

    President Obama and John Kerry are delusional. They probably are trying to find some way to get this weapons bonanza to either Mexico or Chicago.

    • #2
  3. livingthehighlife Inactive
    livingthehighlife
    @livingthehighlife

    Were these arms bought with the billions we sent them?

    • #3
  4. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    livingthehighlife:Were these arms bought with the billions we sent them?

    And when do we give them back? After the Iranians pinky-swear they will not export them again?

    Seawriter

    • #4
  5. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    The Saudis fund terrorist ideology around the world. So why are we so certain that Iran is the greater threat that we are helping the Saudi coalition in Yemen?

    • #5
  6. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    Aaron Miller:The Saudis fund terrorist ideology around the world. So why are we so certain that Iran is the greater threat that we are helping the Saudi coalition in Yemen?

    I would suggest that the Iranians are the greater threat because they are trying to establish a choke point at the southern end of the Suez Canal.

    • #6
  7. Scott Wilmot Member
    Scott Wilmot
    @ScottWilmot

    Aaron Miller: So why are we so certain that Iran is the greater threat that we are helping the Saudi coalition in Yemen?

    One clue for me is that Obama supports Iran. He welcomes Iran as the regional hegemon. He and the administration no longer consider them terrorist threats – they only make businessmen nervous (see link above in #1). The man is a lunatic.

    • #7
  8. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    US Navy photos of the weapons seized.

    AK -47'smachine guns

    rockets

    In earlier seizures, the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Darwin intercepted a craft Feb. 27 that was carrying nearly 2,000 Kalashnikov rifles, 100 RPG launchers, 49 PKM machine guns, 39 PKM machine gun barrels and 20 60mm mortar tubes. In another incident, the French Navy destroyer FS Provence intercepted a ship March 20 that was carrying about 2,000 Kalashnikov rifles, 64 Dragunov marksman rifles, nine anti-tank missiles and other equipment, the Navy said. – from the Washington Post

    • #8
  9. Eric Hines Inactive
    Eric Hines
    @EricHines

    It would have been all right if we’d sunk the boat after off-loading the weaponry.  Then we could have taken the Iranian crew (back) into the Arabian Gulf and put them ashore on one of the Tunb islands.

    Eric Hines

    • #9
  10. Jules PA Inactive
    Jules PA
    @JulesPA

    President Obama said Iran was obeying the “letter” of its landmark nuclear agreement with the West, but not the “spirit” of it.

    Wait until Iran starts ignoring both the spirit AND the letter of the ‘landmark nuclear agreement.’

    • #10
  11. Jules PA Inactive
    Jules PA
    @JulesPA

    Doug Watt:US Navy photos of the weapons seized.

    AK -47's

    In earlier seizures, the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Darwin intercepted a craft Feb. 27 that was carrying nearly 2,000 Kalashnikov rifles, 100 RPG launchers, 49 PKM machine guns, 39 PKM machine gun barrels and 20 60mm mortar tubes. In another incident, the French Navy destroyer FS Provence intercepted a ship March 20 that was carrying about 2,000 Kalashnikov rifles, 64 Dragunov marksman rifles, nine anti-tank missiles and other equipment, the Navy said. – from the Washington Post

    Can I buy these guns with ammo in Mexico yet? <sarcOff>

    • #11
  12. Brian McMenomy Inactive
    Brian McMenomy
    @BrianMcMenomy

    livingthehighlife:Were these arms bought with the billions we sent them?

    Without question.  Money’s money, and it’s fungible.

    • #12
  13. Ball Diamond Ball Member
    Ball Diamond Ball
    @BallDiamondBall

    US seizes large Iranian arms shipment in Arabian Sea



    Obama Administration Furious



    Vows to execute one hostage every hour until weapons are returned.

    • #13
  14. CB Toder aka Mama Toad Member
    CB Toder aka Mama Toad
    @CBToderakaMamaToad

    Ricochet Editor's Desk:You detain 10 of our sailors, we’ll take a boatload of arms:

    I must say I find it interesting that the Editor’s Desk reports this as a kind of tit for tat thing. Am I wrong to find this attitude disturbing?

    • #14
  15. Chris Campion Coolidge
    Chris Campion
    @ChrisCampion

    And on Monday, the Iranian government warned the U.S. to butt out of trying to control its missile program. “The White House should know that defense capacities and missile power, specially at the present juncture where plots and threats are galore, is among the Iranian nation’s red lines… and we don’t allow anyone to violate it,” Deputy Chief of Staff Brig-Gen Maassoud Jazzayeri told state media.

    This is Iran laughing at us, correct?  And more particularly, Barry?

    • #15
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