The Swiss government announced this Friday that it will not issue new licenses for the export of weapons to the United States while the armed conflict linked to Iran, in a decision based on its traditional policy of neutrality.
In an official statement, the Swiss authorities said that “the export of war material to countries involved in the international armed conflict with Iran cannot be authorized for the duration of the conflict.” They also confirmed that since the attacks of February 28 by the United States and Israel against the terrorist regime in Iran, no new export licenses to U.S. territory have been approved
.The measure is part of a series of recent actions taken by Bern under its neutrality legislation. Last weekend, the government rejected two overflight requests related to military operations toward Iran, although it allowed three others. Similar decisions were implemented during previous conflicts, such as the invasion of Iraq in 2003, when Switzerland also restricted arms exports and the use of its
airspace.
However, the decision has raised questions among international analysts and observers, who question both its practical impact and its political coherence. Given the size and capacity of the U.S. military industry, experts point out that suspending exports from Switzerland will have a limited effect on U.S. operations, suggesting that the move is mostly symbolic
