A Pakistani national, Muhammad Pahlawan, was sentenced on October 16 to 40 years in prison for his involvement in transporting advanced conventional weapons made in Iran. The sentence follows his conviction by a federal jury on June 5, 2025, for conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, aiding Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program, supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) weapons program, and transporting explosive devices intended for use by Houthi forces.
Court records and trial evidence show that on January 11, 2024, U.S. Navy forces from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER—including Navy SEALs and U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team East members—boarded an unflagged dhow off Somalia’s coast in the Arabian Sea. Fourteen mariners were found onboard, including Pahlawan.
The boarding team discovered Iranian-made weaponry such as ballistic missile components, anti-ship cruise missile parts, and a warhead. This type of weaponry matched what Houthi rebels used against merchant and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. During the operation, Pahlawan misled the boarding team and instructed others to do so as well; he also threatened crewmembers and their families. Two Navy SEALs—Christopher Chambers and Nathan Gage Ingram—died during this interdiction.
Investigations revealed that Pahlawan’s activities were part of a broader smuggling network running from August 2023 through January 2024. He collaborated with Shahab Mir’kazei and Yunus Mir’kazei—two Iranian brothers associated with the IRGC—to move materials from Iran to groups such as Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Multiple smuggling trips were organized under their direction, with cargo transported from Iran to Somalia for nighttime ship-to-ship transfers.
Pahlawan coordinated preparations for these voyages with Shahab and Yunus Mir’kazei, received navigational coordinates for transfers, and was paid several times for his participation.
The sentencing announcement came from Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg; U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia; FBI Counterterrorism Division Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead; and FBI Washington Field Office Assistant Director Darren B. Cox following U.S. District Judge David J. Novak's decision.
"Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John Eisenberg; U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division; and Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak."
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy A. Edwards, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin R. Tisdale (Eastern District of Virginia), Trial Attorney Joseph N. Kaster (National Security Division), and former prosecutor Danya Atiyeh contributed to prosecuting this case.
