Iran has ramped up its involvement in African nations, notably Sudan, which has been engulfed in warfare for over a year due to fierce battles in and around the capital between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This increasing intervention has spotlighted Iran’s role in the ongoing Sudanese crisis.
Media reports have revealed that Tehran has been supplying its military drones to the Sudanese army, raising suspicions that Iran is seeking another ally to expand its influence in the Red Sea region.
Situated along the shores of the Red Sea, Sudan is a strategic battleground for global powers, including Iran, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
A senior Sudanese military source stated last month that after a year of civil war, the Iranian-made military drones have helped the army shift the balance of the conflict in its favour.
Initially, the Sudanese military forces utilized older drones alongside artillery and fighter aircraft, but these efforts had limited success against the RSF, stationed in densely populated areas of Khartoum and other cities.
The same military source also denied importing Iranian-made drones directly from Iran and declined to disclose how they were acquired or their quantities, noting that “the Sudanese army also produced Iranian drones as part of joint military programs before the severance of ties between the two countries in 2016.”
General Amin Muzajoub, a former Sudanese general, confirmed that Sudan indeed produced weapons with Iran’s help and had made modifications to the pre-existing drones to enhance their effectiveness during the war.
A regional source close to the Iranian regime disclosed that an Iranian airline, Fars Air Qeshm, which is under U.S. sanctions, transported two types of Iranian drones, “Mohajer and Ababil,” to Sudan late last year.
These drones are manufactured by firms operating under the supervision of Iran’s Ministry of Defense.
Reuters reported that a Boeing 747-200 cargo plane from Fars Air Qeshm flew six times from Iran to Port Sudan, a key military base, between December 2023 and January 2024.
The frequency of these flights was not previously disclosed, but RSF claims that the Sudanese army receives cargo planes, drones, and other weapons from Iran twice a week.
Observers believe that bringing Sudan under Iran’s influence could provide Tehran with access to more oil, gold, and rare minerals, as well as another Red Sea port to continue disrupting maritime trade.
Iran might also add Sudan to its list of regions already under its influence in the area, including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.
In related news, Peter Hoekstra, former U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands under the Trump administration and former Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, penned an article this week on the right-leaning Gatestone Institute’s website, warning of the risks posed by Iran’s potential control over Sudan and the Red Sea.