Qatar seeks restoration of Iran’s influence in Sudan

Mohamed Shaath

On the back of political transformations in Sudan, interests and coalitions are changing, especially with the Sudanese efforts to eliminate the Qatari-Iranian influence there.

Iran has been seeking to dominate Sudan, which is deemed by Iranians as a gateway to export the Iranian revolution to the Arab region, through funding militias. Tehran deems rapprochement with Doha and Ankara as a means to carry out its plots.

The Sudanese-Iranian ties are probably the oldest, dating back to 1954. Tensions between the countries erupted in the 1980s. However, the relations between Tehran and Khartoum strengthened after Omar al-Bashir took office in 1989.

However, Sudan cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2014 and expelled the Iranian ambassador in Khartoum, as part of Sudan’s “solidarity with Saudi Arabia” against the Iranian plots in the region, following an Iranian attack on the Saudi Arabian embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad.

Sudan’s revolution, which erupted on December 19, 2018, put an end to the country’s alliance with Qatar and Turkey and sustained the boycott with Iran.

The revolution has resulted in policy changes adopted by Sudan’s former regime, which boosted relations with Iran.

Former Iranian president Hashemi Rafsanjani visited Khartoum twice; in 1991 and 1996. Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also visited Sudan in September 2011 and in 2007.

Ousted Sudanese president al-Bashir visited Tehran a number of times. His last visit to Iran was in 2011.

Despite Iran’s relentless efforts to return to Sudan, Tehran is highly concerned about the new regime’s support to Saudi Arabia as General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy head of the Transitional Military Council, has expressed Sudan’s support to Saudi Arabia against the Iranian threats and attacks after meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman in Riyadh.

The formation of militias remains a Qatari-Iranian plot, with Doha’s funding and Tehran’s training experience.

This has been Iran’s persistent policy in the region as Tehran uses its proxies. That implies the integration of the Qatari Iranian plots as the two countries are seeking to carry out the same agendas. If Doha carries out its plot in Sudan, the way for Iran’s return will be paved.

In January, Al-Jazeera said Doha had sent medical aid to Sudan, while the Sudanese authorities unveiled the seizure of a Qatari arms shipment in Darfur. That has angered the Sudanese people as the arms shipments exposed Qatar’s sabotage plots for Sudan.