US transfers seized Iranian arms to aid Ukraine's defense

US Central Command (CENTCOM) revealed on Tuesday that the United States has transferred a substantial arsenal, including machine guns, sniper rifles, rocket launchers, and ammunition, seized from Iran to Ukraine.

This transfer comes as Ukraine grapples with weapon shortages in its ongoing conflict against Russia. The weaponry, acquired from intercepted stateless vessels over the past two years, was officially obtained by the US government through the Justice Department's civil forfeiture process last December.

According to CENTCOM, the transferred material is adequate to equip approximately 4,000 Ukrainian personnel with small-arms rifles, bolstering Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion.  This initiative follows a similar transfer last October, where over one million rounds of seized Iranian ammunition were delivered to Ukrainian armed forces.

The Biden administration has been actively pursuing legal means to provide seized weapons, stored in CENTCOM facilities across the Middle East, to support Ukraine's defense efforts.

Source: CNN