(Report: Sudan Gate)
Introduction
Amidst the political and diplomatic turmoil and the looming military collapse of the authority of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Port Sudan is moving forward with reestablishing its old relationship with the mullah regime in Tehran, thereby sparking regional and international controversy. Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Port Sudan, which is controlled by Islamists, issued a strongly worded official statement condemning the Israeli military attack on Iran yesterday, which came in response to a previous Iranian attack on Israel, describing it as a blatant violation of Iran’s sovereignty and a threat to regional and international security. This statement reflects the level of political, security, and military coordination between Port Sudan and Tehran following the resumption of relations between them in October 2023, after an eight-year hiatus.
Resumption of Sudanese-Iranian Relations
Signs of the return of relations began with the visit of “Ali Al-Sadiq,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burhan’s government in Port Sudan, to Iran last February. He highlighted the importance of restoring the “historic” ties between the two countries, which the Iranian President at the time, Ibrahim Raisi, regarded as a step towards creating new opportunities and compensating for lost ones. In July 2023, ambassadors were exchanged between the two countries, where Burhan received the Iranian ambassador, Hassan Shah Hosseini, while Tehran accredited Abdul Aziz Hassan Saleh as the ambassador to Port Sudan, thus inaugurating a new phase of diplomatic relations.
Motives Behind the Iranian-Sudanese Alliance
Observers believe that Iran seeks to enhance its influence in the African continent through Sudan, due to its strategic location overlooking the Red Sea, which is crucial given its allies, such as the Houthi group, that pose a threat to international navigation in the Red Sea. It seems that Burhan is counting on this rapprochement as part of his efforts to obtain military support, especially with the intensification of internal conflict. Analysts believe that Burhan’s government, supported by elements of the former Islamic regime, is committed to distancing its relations from Israel as an Iranian condition for restoring relations and providing military support.
Military Cooperation Between Sudan and Iran
The military cooperation between them has revitalized bilateral relations following their resumption. Iran has sent at least nine cargo flights from Tehran to Port Sudan between December 2023 and July 2024, through “Qeshm Fars Air,” a company owned by entities affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and subject to U.S. sanctions. These shipments included “Mohajer-6” drones, ground control stations, artillery, and other military equipment, which arrived prior to a military campaign launched by Burhan’s army in early 2024. This raises questions about Iran’s role and its weapons in this devastating war.
International Reactions
Last week, the U.S. government imposed sanctions on Major General Merghani Idris, the Director General of the Defense Industries System, known for being the direct responsible party for financing and arming the Sudanese army during the war and being close to Army Commander Abdel Fattah Burhan. The U.S. State Department confirmed last Thursday that the Sudanese army has prioritized the purchase of drones from Iran and Russia over seeking peace. A political analyst considered the U.S. State Department’s remarks about the Sudanese army’s pursuit of drones from Russia and Iran, alongside the imposition of sanctions on influential figures close to Burhan, as an indication that the U.S. government has grown weary of Burhan’s policies and his repeated evasion of peaceful solutions, aligning himself with the war camp led by Russia and Iran.
The Consequences of War and Displacement in Sudan
Since the outbreak of the war between the army led by Abdel Fattah Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti” in April 2023, a conflict that bears ample evidence of the Islamists’ role in igniting it, Sudan has been experiencing a continuous struggle that has resulted in the deaths of over 100,000 people, according to United Nations statistics, and the displacement of approximately 11.3 million people, a third of whom have sought refuge in neighboring countries. The United Nations has described the Sudanese crisis as the largest internal displacement crisis and the largest displacement crisis for children, with the number of displaced children exceeding 3 million, both inside and outside Sudan. Moreover, famine threatens around 26 million Sudanese, with famine conditions declared in some areas of Darfur, representing a major humanitarian catastrophe on a global scale.
Conclusion
The old-new alliance between Port Sudan and Tehran under the leadership of Abdel Fattah Burhan reflects a strategic shift with regional and international implications, especially in light of the internal conflict and the crises facing Sudan. This rapprochement not only contributes to the continuation of the war and the exacerbation of the acute humanitarian crisis but also raises regional and international concerns regarding the threat to the security of the Red Sea and international navigation. While Sudanese people suffer from the consequences of internal conflict and famine, the future remains contingent on the developments of this new alliance and its impacts on regional stability and the threat to international peace and security, as well as the role of the international community in stopping the war and providing urgent assistance to save the Sudanese people.
