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<\/a><\/p>\nPublished On 20 Mar 202620 Mar 2026<\/p>\n
Switzerland has said \u2060it will not issue licences for companies to export weapons to the United States due to \u2060the ongoing war on Iran<\/a>, citing the country\u2019s longstanding principle of neutrality.<\/p>\n \u201cThe export of war materiel to countries involved \u2060in the international armed conflict with Iran cannot be authorised for the duration of the conflict,\u201d the government said in a statement on Friday.<\/p>\n Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list<\/p>\n \u201cExports of war materiel to the USA \u200ccannot currently be authorised,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n The announcement comes as the US-Israeli war on Iran nears the three-week mark, spurring a deepening humanitarian crisis across the wider Middle East and sending global energy prices soaring<\/a>.<\/p>\n It also follows a decision by the Swiss government to close its airspace to US military flights directly linked to the Iran war.<\/p>\n Last weekend, it said it had rejected two US flyover requests on Iran-related war flights but permitted three others, also citing Switzerland\u2019s neutrality law.<\/p>\n A Swiss federal act, approved in 1996, stipulates that the import, export and transit of war materiel and related technology require export licences based on the principles of human rights and neutrality.<\/p>\n Since the Iran war began on February 28, Switzerland said no new export licences were issued to \u2060the US.<\/p>\n The government also noted that no definitive licences for exports of war materiel to Israel have been granted for several years and the same applies to Iran.<\/p>\n Existing US licences will now face regular review by a group of experts to assess whether steps are required under the neutrality law, it said.<\/p>\n Exports of dual-use and specific military goods will also be regularly reviewed by the expert group.<\/p>\n \u201cA restrictive approach is already in place with regard to Israel,\u201d the government said.<\/p>\n The US was the second-largest importer of Swiss arms last year, according to government data, with sales worth $119m (94.2 million francs).<\/p>\n