Arms smuggling by Iran IRGC Quds Force for Houthis in Yemen

 March 2016

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said a ship carrying arms from Iran for the Houthis was recently confiscated, adding Tehran continues to support the Shiite rebels in Yemen. On the other hand Arab coalition forces in Yemen are attempting to stop and neutralize such arms smuggling from Iran to Yemen.

This is in line with a series of other measures launched by the Iranian regime from day one back in 1979 when Iranian regime founder Ruhollah Khomeini came to power.

There is a special unit in the Quds Force, the foreign wing of the Revolutionary Guards, specifically responsible for transferring arms and ammunition to various destinations outside of Iran. This unit carries out its activities under the cover of transportation companies, using various methods of air, sea and land routes, hiding the arms amongst different ordinary products or construction materials placed in large metal containers. These containers are sent by air or the sea as ordinary goods. Ordinarily, the ships smuggling Iran’s weapons are on voyage under foreign flags, passing through different ports to reach their final destinations.

Houthis in Yemen are one of the receivers of these arms from Iran, and this is nothing new. The Arabic coalition has time and again discovered various such consignments. Despite the fact that Iran has enormous experience in smuggling arms using various methods, these measures have become extremely difficult for Tehran as the Arabic coalition has taken control over all ports and airports in Yemen.

The Lebanese Hezbollah has also deployed experts to Yemen to target Saudi Arabia using various types of surface-to-surface missiles. Hezbollah has established cells in Arabic countries, and acting as Iran’s Arab military wing, they are busy gathering intelligence for Tehran, especially the IRGC intelligence organization.

Currently, the Americans are issuing warnings about the Hezbollah, taking steps to freeze their assets and blacklisting various Hezbollah officials. While once known for its ‘jihad’ against Israel, this group now acts as an arm for the Quds Force and participates in proxy wars against Arab states on behalf of Iran.

Recently, Arab states across the Middle East have classified the Lebanese Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, delivering a very serious blow to the Iranian regime.

Iran is sending arms and ammunition to the Houthis in Yemen despite the fact that a U.N. Security Council resolution has banned any export of arms to this country. The Security Council must act based on its duties and responsibilities. This is not the first time and Iran has used Asian shipping lines for this purpose. However, it has changed tactics and is using Arabs and Arab leverages against various countries across this already restive region.

This is a clear violation of UNSC resolutions, the last such being 2216 and its related rulings, consisting of four rulings and two statements. Arab countries must file a complaint against Iran to the International Criminal Court or the civil courts in Europe or the U.S., and also place pressure on the Lebanese government to ultimately reign in Hezbollah.