Sudan Says It Will Resume Diplomatic Relations With Iran

Sudan and Iran agreed on Monday to restore their diplomatic ties seven years after they were severed, the Sudanese foreign ministry said.

The two countries “have decided to resume diplomatic relations… following high-level contacts in recent months”, the ministry said in a statement.

They agreed “to take the necessary steps to reopen their embassies in the near future and to exchange official delegations”, the statement added.

Iran’s ISNA news agency also reported the agreement.

“The two governments agreed to develop friendly relations… based on mutual respect for sovereignty, equality, common interests and peaceful coexistence,” ISNA said.

Sudan and Iran had also agreed to “take the necessary measures to open the embassies” and “exchange of official delegations to explore ways to expand cooperation”, it added.

Sudan broke off relations with Iran in 2016, in a show of solidarity with Saudi Arabia after its embassy in Tehran was attacked following the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric in the kingdom.

At that time, Iran’s relations with a number of Saudi friends in the region were severed.

However, following a deal mediated by China, Riyadh and Tehran declared the resumption of their relations in March.

Since then, Iran has taken steps to strengthen or repair its ties with nearby Arab nations.

Since April 15, when combat between two competing generals, army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who is in charge of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, first broke out, Sudan has been at war.