Iran conflict: impact on war-relevant exports

Bern [ENA] On 20 March, the Swiss Federal Council examined the implications of applying the principle of neutrality to exports to the states involved in the Iran conflict. The export of war materiel to countries involved in the international armed conflict with Iran cannot be authorized for the duration of the conflict. Existing licenses and exports of other goods will now be regularly reviewed by a group of experts.

Following its meeting on 13 March regarding the applicability of neutrality to the war between the USA/Israel and Iran and its decisions of 14 March on specific overflight requests, the Federal Council on 20 March addressed the issue of goods exports to the countries involved in the conflict by an interdepartmental group of experts, particularly with regard to their compatibility with neutrality.

Exports of war materiel to the USA cannot currently be authorized. As the USA is involved in an international armed conflict, the exclusion grounds under Article 22a para. 2 let. a of the War Materiel Act are met. Since the escalation of the conflict on 28 February, no new licenses have been issued for exports of war materiel to the USA. No definitive licenses for the export of war materiel to Israel have been granted for a number of years.

The same applies to Iran. Existing licenses have been determined to be of no relevance to the war at present and can therefore continue to be used. Nevertheless, an interdepartmental expert group (EAER, FDFA, and DDPS) will regularly review developments in exports of the goods in question to the USA and assess whether any action is required under the Swiss neutrality law.

Exports of dual-use and specific military goods subject to the Goods Control Act, as well as of non-controlled goods that are nevertheless affected by sanctions against Iran, will also be regularly reviewed by the expert group from now on. A restrictive approach is already in place with regard to Israel. (SOURCE: The Swiss Federal CounciL, Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research.)