US Imposes Sanctions on Pakistani Arms Dealer Over Alleged Weapons Supply to Iran

The Pakistani owner of an arms supplier and his associated companies have been placed under sanctions by the US for allegedly providing weapons to Iran. Waseem Pasha Tajammal and his Cavalier Group are accused of acting as third-party intermediaries to procure and distribute weapons for Iran’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (Modafl), according to the US Treasury.

The 58-year-old runs the Pakistani company Cavalier Dynamics Private Limited, serving as its majority shareholder and chief executive. The firm operates Saudi Arabian and Turkish subsidiaries named Cavalier Dynamics for Technologies Company and Cavalier Dynamics Teknoloji Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, respectively. Mr Tajammal also owns and directs a UK company that is currently not under sanctions.

The US Treasury stated that Mr Tajammal was sanctioned for allegedly having provided, or attempted to provide, financial, material, technological or other support for, or goods or services in support of, Modafl. The three companies faced sanctions for being owned, controlled, or acting on behalf of Mr Tajammal. Furthermore, Cavalier Dynamics for Technologies Company has been jointly sanctioned by the US and Saudi Arabia.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent explained that the sanctions against Mr Tajammal form part of Operation Economic Outcast, which aims to disrupt individuals supplying material, technological, or financial support to sustain the Iranian regime's terrorist enterprise. He emphasized that the Treasury will not tolerate any support for the regime and will actively identify, expose, and isolate Iran's enablers.

Modafl is responsible for weapons research, production, and acquisition for Iran’s armed forces, alongside overseeing drone development and ballistic missile programs. Mr Tajammal is one of ten individuals and entities targeted in this round of sanctions for allegedly procuring weapons and components for Modafl. Other targets include Seyyed Asghar Alizadeh Tabatabai, the Modafl representative in Beijing; the Kavoshcom Asia R and D Group; company director Ali Fotowat Ahmady; representative Parisa Lali; and the Hong Kong-based firm EC Mojo Technology Co Limited alongside its representative Li Fen.