Switzerland Suspends New Arms Exports to US Over Iran Conflict

Switzerland announced on Friday that it will suspend new approvals for arms exports to the United States, invoking its policy of military neutrality in response to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. The decision, which formalizes practices already in place since the war began on February 28, applies to war materiel and aims to prevent Swiss companies from contributing to the international armed conflict.

In a statement, the Swiss Federal Council explained that "exports of war materiel to the US cannot currently be authorised" due to Washington's involvement in the hostilities. The government added that "the export of war materiel to countries involved in the international armed conflict with Iran cannot be authorised for the duration of the conflict." No new export licenses have been issued to the United States since the escalation, officials confirmed. The measure targets fresh orders for arms and ammunition, while existing licenses deemed unrelated to the war may continue, subject to ongoing evaluation.

An interministerial group of experts from the foreign, defense, and economy ministries will regularly review all relevant exports to the United States. This includes...