Politics

Sudan, Iran decide to restore diplomatic ties amid Israel-Palestine war

Khartoum, Oct 9 (EFE).- The Sudanese Foreign Ministry announced Monday the resumption of diplomatic ties with Iran after a seven-year strain.

The decision came after months of warming relations between Tehran and Sudan’s military leadership, and was finalized in the midst of an ongoing conflict between Palestinian militants in Gaza and Israel.

Sudan cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 after the Saudi Arabian embassy was stormed by Iranian protestors in Tehran.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Sudan decided to resume their diplomatic relations. The two sides also agreed to take the necessary measures to open their embassies in the near future and to exchange official delegations,” a foreign ministry statement said.

The statement noted that the re-establishment of relations was grounded in “mutual respect for sovereignty, shared interests, and peaceful coexistence.”

Both nations have agreed to “expand cooperation in various sectors,” the statement said without providing specific details.

In 2016, Iranian protesters attacked the Saudi embassy after the execution of a Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia.

The Sudanese government, led by then-President Omar al-Bashir, expressed support for Saudi Arabia.

Sudan and Iran have been gradually moving to better their relations since the coup orchestrated by the Sudanese Army in 2021.

The reconciliation intensified in recent months, especially since the outbreak of internal conflict in Sudan in April.

Since then, the military leadership governing Sudan has been engaged in a diplomatic effort to secure Middle Eastern support to facilitate the transition once the internal conflict is resolved.

In early July, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Al Sadeq and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, met on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement ministers’ meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, to formalize the resumption of relations.

The announcement came amid heightened tensions in the Middle East due to the new conflict between the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and Israel, which has already claimed nearly 1,500 lives.

The American media has reported that Iran may have played a role in planning the surprise attack by Hamas that sparked the conflict on Saturday. However, the Iranian mission to the UN has denied the allegations. EFE

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