Al-Burhan appeals to Iran… What’s the Exchange?”
The London-based Arab newspaper reported that Sudanese Army Commander Abdul Fattah al-Burhan, under the auspices of the Muslim Brotherhood group, is appealing to Iran to strike a deal that would grant Tehran military and logistical support for his forces, helping them withstand the advance of the Rapid Support Forces in exchange for granting the Islamic Republic a foothold on the Red Sea to extend its influence.
Sudanese journalist Hatem El Kinani believes that “the Sudanese-Iranian rapprochement cannot be viewed separately from the complexities in Sudan and the war waged by the army against the Rapid Support Forces.” El Kinani stated that “the multiplicity of decision-making centers within the current Sudanese government, especially with the noticeable presence of the Islamic movement and officials from the previous regime, makes the rapprochement with Iran represent a governmental trend within the army rather than a complete stance for both the army and the government together, considering that the war and its complexities have produced contradictory positions within the Sudanese government more than once.”
Meanwhile, Sudanese political analyst Mohammed Said said in a statement to the same newspaper that Sudan is trying through its efforts to mend its relations with Iran to “gain a new external ally, especially since Khartoum’s relationship with the African Union’s government institutions has witnessed disagreements and deterioration for some time.” Said considered that Khartoum, by approaching Tehran, “wants to pressure the international community and use Iran as a pressure card, in addition to benefiting from Iran’s military power in the ongoing war in Sudan against the Rapid Support Forces.”
Said pointed out that Iran “wants to be in the hot scene in the Red Sea, where tensions are increasing between the United States and its Houthi allies.” He said that “Iran’s eye is on Sudan and on the Red Sea, the hottest area currently.”
The Muslim Brotherhood sparked the flames of war and continued to fuel them in Sudan
Sudan enjoys a coastline on the Red Sea stretching nearly 800 km, making it a focal point for regional and international competition over the operation of its ports. By controlling Sudanese ports, Iran and its allies would gain a foothold in a highly important commercial corridor near Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Israel.
Recently, international media reports circulated news about Iran supplying the Sudanese army with combat drones that were used in the war against the Rapid Support Forces.
Bloomberg reported that Iran is supplying the Sudanese army with shipments of Iranian weapons and drones of the “Muhajer 6” model manufactured in Iran. The army in battles in Omdurman and Khartoum relied on the new weapons “in an attempt to bring about a change in its strategy by shifting from defense to offense.”
Other reports indicated that the Muslim Brotherhood, or the “Kizan,” are the ones obstructing all international efforts to end the war, and they are also leading negotiations with the Iranian side, aiming to ensure a continuous supply line of weapons and military equipment to the army.
Since mid-April 2023, the Sudanese army, led by Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdul Fattah al-Burhan, has been engaged in a war with the Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemeti,” which has left more than 13,000 dead and over 8 million displaced and refugees.
