Pakistani National Sentenced for Smuggling Iranian Weapons
A Pakistani citizen has received a 40-year federal prison sentence for his involvement in a smuggling operation that transported sophisticated Iranian weaponry to the Houthis, a group in Yemen. This operation is linked to the tragic deaths of two U.S. Navy SEALs in the Arabian Sea.
On June 5, 2025, a federal jury convicted Muhammad Palawan for conspiring to aid terrorist organizations and Iranian programs involved with weapons of mass destruction, specifically those connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Additionally, he was found guilty of conspiring to ship explosives to the Houthis, fully aware they would be used for harmful purposes, and of making threats against the boarding crew.
U.S. Central Command naval forces, including Navy SEALs and Coast Guard members, boarded a small vessel on January 11. There were 14 people on board, including Palawan. The search resulted in the confiscation of Iranian-made advanced conventional weapons, like parts for ballistic missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, and warheads.
The Justice Department mentioned that the weapons found were consistent with those used by Houthi rebels targeting both commercial vessels and American ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
During the boarding, Palawan deceived the team and instructed his fellow crew members to do the same. He even issued threats against their lives and those of their families.
Two SEALs—Naval Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher J. Chambers and Naval Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram—lost their lives during this encounter. According to the Justice Department, Ingram fell into a gap between the boat and the SEAL watercraft while trying to board. Chambers attempted to rescue him but was unable to. Sadly, Ingram was pronounced dead on January 22.
Moreover, the Justice Department stated that Palawan’s activities were part of a broader effort. From August 2023 to January 2024, he worked with two Iranian brothers from the Revolutionary Guards to facilitate smuggling operations from Iran to entities like the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
As part of this investigation, arrest warrants were issued for four foreign nationals, including Palawan, Mohammad Mazar, Ghufran Ullah, and Izhar Muhammad, for their roles in providing misleading information about the crew and cargo to U.S. Coast Guard personnel while on the ship.
