Sudan on Friday condemned what it called an “unjust aggression” by Israel against Iran.
In a statement, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said the Israeli attack “constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security.” The ministry called on the United Nations and the U.N. Security Council to take immediate action to halt such strikes.
Reports indicate that Sudan’s military has long-standing ties with Iran, including arms and drone deals, which have reportedly expanded since the war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in mid-April 2023.
Sudanese political analyst Hatim Ayub Abu al-Hassan dismissed a recent statement by Arab League countries as routine and said it lacked any notable alignment with Iran’s support for Sudan’s Port Sudan government.
Abu al-Hassan said the statement did not reflect Iran’s backing of the Sudanese faction. He also warned that Israeli airstrikes could disrupt military supply lines to the Sudanese army.
“The Port Sudan government cannot take any step to provide geostrategic or military services to its Iranian ally via the Red Sea,” he added.
In October 2023, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry announced the restoration of diplomatic relations with Iran. Both sides agreed to expand cooperation in various fields to serve mutual interests.
Sudan had shut down Iranian cultural centers in 2014 and cut diplomatic ties with Iran in January 2016 in solidarity with Saudi Arabia after protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Sudan’s stance toward Iran softened following the normalization of Saudi-Iranian relations.
Earlier Friday, Iran said dozens were killed, including top military commanders and nuclear experts, in large-scale Israeli airstrikes across multiple regions.
Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that the Israeli strikes killed 78 people and wounded 329 in residential areas of Tehran province alone. A crisis management official in the western city of Tabriz said eight people died in an Israeli attack there.
Iranian media and witnesses reported explosions at several locations, including the Natanz uranium enrichment facility.