The visit of two Iranian naval ships to Sudan reflects strong ties between the countries, Sudan’s military said on October 30 after Khartoum denied Iranian involvement in weapons manufacturing.
Sudan’s links to Iran have come under scrutiny after Khartoum accused Israel of sending four radar-evading aircraft to strike the Yarmouk military factory in the heart of the capital at midnight on Oct. 23. The factory compound exploded and burst into flames, and speculation followed that Iranian weapons were stored or manufactured there. Sudan’s foreign ministry denied that Iran had any involvement in the Yarmouk factory. It accused Israel of “spreading fabricated information.”
On a visit to Tehran last August, President Omar Al-Bashir described the relationship between Sudan and Iran as “deeply rooted.” “Two Iranian navy ships are visiting Port Sudan” until Wednesday, army spokesman Sawarmi Khaled Saad told the official SUNA news agency. “The visit of the two ships will support strong political, security and diplomatic relations between the two states.”
Saad said the port call is a chance for Sudanese naval personnel “to see advanced weapons and advanced ships,” which will also be open to the public.