Switzerland halts weapons exports to US due to Iran war, citing neutrality

Govt says no new licences issued for war materiel exports to US since Feb 28 strikes on Iran

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Reuters March 20, 2026 Less than a minute read

Flight deck personnel run to receive a helicopter preparing to land on the flight deck on board the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) as it patrols the Arabian Gulf during a Strait of Hormuz transit February 14, 2012. PHOTO: REUTERS

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Switzerland on Friday said it would not issue licences for ​companies to export weapons to the United ‌States due to the ongoing attacks on Iran, citing the country's neutrality.

"The export of war materiel to countries involved in ​the international armed conflict with Iran cannot be ​authorised for the duration of the conflict," ⁠the government said in a statement.

Last weekend, the ​Swiss government said it had rejected two US flyover requests on Iran-related war flights but permitted three others, also citing Switzerland's ​neutrality law.

Following the US-led invasion of Iraq in ​2003, Switzerland imposed bans on flights over Swiss airspace and weapons ‌exports ⁠to countries involved in the war. It later lifted them.

On Friday, the government said that since the Israeli and US strikes on Iran on February 28, ​no new licences ​had been ⁠issued for exports of war materiel to the US.

It noted that no ​definitive licences for export of war materiel ​to ⁠Israel have been granted for several years.

The government said a group of experts would regularly review developments on ⁠exports ​of the relevant goods to ​the US and assess whether steps are required under neutrality law.