[1]
March 29, 2024
This month’s newsletter features a new episode of Iran Watch Listen, a
podcast by the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control. We sat down with
Wolf-Christian Paes, an expert on arms and maritime security, to discuss
Iran’s support for the Houthi rebel group, the ways in which arms are
smuggled into Yemen, and what can be done to stop the smuggling.
The newsletter also includes profiles of entities connected to Houthi
procurement efforts, as well as news about a potential uranium deal between
Iran and Niger, the Houthis' first fatal attack on Red Sea shipping, and
Iran’s attempt to acquire a permanent naval base in Sudan. Additions to the
Iran Watch library include official statements from the most recent meeting
of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors, documents
on the expanding military and space cooperation between Iran and Russia,
and U.S. sanctions announcements targeting Iran’s support for non-state
groups.
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PUBLICATIONS
[4]Map of interdictions in the Arabian Sea
A map showing the locations of several seizures at sea in late 2021 and
2022. (Credit: UN Panel of Experts on Yemen)
Interviews and Podcasts | [5]How to Put Iranian Weapons Out of Arm’s Reach
for the Houthis
Iran’s military support for the Houthis, which can be traced back to at
least 2009, has ramped up since 2015, when Iran began providing the group
with the parts and know-how to assemble potent missiles and drones, and
even to manufacture some of the components locally.
Wisconsin Project researchers sat down with Wolf-Christian Paes, who served
on the U.N. Panel of Experts on Yemen from 2018 until 2023, to better
understand the various modes of Iranian support for the Houthis, the
pathways by which weapons and components have been smuggled into Yemen, and
the ongoing challenges of enforcing the arms embargo imposed on the group
by the U.N. Security Council.
[6]LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW
ENTITIES OF CONCERN
Houthi efforts to smuggle weapons into Yemen, led by [7]Muhammad Ahmad
al-Talibi, the group’s assistant minister of defense for logistics, rely on
networks of intermediaries in Iran and beyond.
[8]Sepahan Electric
An Iran-based electronics company; was the last entity known to have
custody of German-origin pressure transmitters that were later found in
Quds-1 cruise missiles used by the Houthis; customers have included [9]Iran
Electronics Industries (IEI) and the [10]National Iranian Oil Company
(NIOC).
[11]LEARN MORE
[12]Toseeh Tejara Dasht Persian Co.
An Iran-based company; was the last entity known to have custody of
ignition coils manufactured by a Sweden-based company that were later found
in delta-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used by the Houthis.
[13]LEARN MORE
[14]OLS Technology (HK) Co., Limited
A Hong Kong-based company; was the last known entity to have custody of a
shipment of Swiss-origin servo actuators later found in Quds-1 cruise
missiles used by the Houthis.
[15]LEARN MORE
IN THE NEWS
[16]The True Confidence vessel
The M/V True Confidence after being struck by an anti-ship ballistic
missile. (Credit: U.S. Central Command)
[17]Niger Termination of U.S. Military Ties Followed Accusation of Iran
Uranium Deal | Wall Street Journal
March 17, 2024: Niger ended its counterterrorism alliance with the United
States after U.S. officials expressed concerns that Niger was in secret
talks to provide Iran with access to its uranium reserves. Niger and Iran
reportedly signed a preliminary agreement, but the deal was not finalized
as of February 2024. U.S. officials also raised concerns about the arrival
of Russian military equipment and trainers to Niger. The country's ruling
junta denied the allegations.
[18]Houthi Attack Kills Three Sailors in Group’s First Fatal Strike on
Shipping | Al Jazeera
March 6, 2024: Houthi rebels in Yemen fired an anti-ship ballistic missile
that struck the True Confidence merchant vessel as it was transiting the
Red Sea. The attack killed three crew members, injured four others, and
caused significant damage to the ship, forcing the crew to abandon it.
Several days earlier, a cargo ship named Rubymar sank after being struck by
Houthi missiles in February. A Houthi spokesman said the group's attacks
would not stop until Israel ends its operation against Hamas in Gaza.
[19]Iran Tried to Persuade Sudan to Allow Naval Base on Its Red Sea Coast |
Wall Street Journal
March 3, 2024: According to a senior Sudanese intelligence official, Iran
has supplied explosive drones to the Sudanese military and sought to
acquire a permanent naval base on Sudan’s Red Sea coast in exchange for a
helicopter-carrying warship. Iran reportedly intended to station warships
at the base and to use it for intelligence collection, including monitoring
maritime traffic to and from the Suez Canal and Israel. Sudan declined the
proposal.
FROM THE LIBRARY
At its quarterly meeting, the IAEA Board of Governors discussed Iran's most
recent nuclear advances as well as the lack of progress in resolving
several outstanding safeguards issues.
* Ahead of the meeting, the IAEA director general circulated two reports
on [20]verification and monitoring of Iran’s nuclear program and on [21]the
country’s implementation of NPT safeguards – February 26.
* The United States indicated that if Iran does not adequately respond to
the Agency’s safeguards-related questions, it [22]would start pushing for a
“comprehensive summary report,” akin to the [23]November 2011 report
detailing the “possible military dimensions” to Iran’s nuclear program –
March 7.
Iran and Russia continued expanding their military and space-related
cooperation.
* Russia [24]launched Iran’s Pars-1 satellite into a 700-kilometer orbit
from the Vostochny Cosmodrome – February 29.
* After several reports that Iran is considering providing Russia with
ballistic missiles, the Group of Seven leaders [25]issued a statement that
they will “respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner,” if Iran proceeds
with the transfer – March 15.
The United States sanctioned entities facilitating Iran’s financial support
for non-state groups across the Middle East.
* The Treasury Department issued [26]three [27]rounds of [28]sanctions
aimed at disrupting the networks of financial facilitator Sa’id al-Jamal.
The sanctioned companies and vessels have shipped Iranian commodities and
enabled transactions for the Qods Force, Hizballah, and the Houthis – March
6, 15, and 26.
* Treasury [29]also sanctioned four Iran-based members of the Al-Ashtar
Brigades, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization active in Bahrain –
March 12.
Iran Watch is a website published by the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms
Control. The Wisconsin Project is a non-profit, non-partisan organization
that conducts research, advocacy, and public education aimed at inhibiting
strategic trade from contributing to the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction.
Copyright © 2024 - Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control
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