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Sudan Plans Restoring Diplomatic Relations with Iran

Sudan’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Sadeq Ali met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Baku, Azerbaijan (Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Twitter)
Sudan’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Sadeq Ali met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Baku, Azerbaijan (Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Twitter)
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Sudan Plans Restoring Diplomatic Relations with Iran

Sudan’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Sadeq Ali met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Baku, Azerbaijan (Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Twitter)
Sudan’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Sadeq Ali met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Baku, Azerbaijan (Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Twitter)

After a seven-year hiatus, Sudan is moving towards restoring its diplomatic relations with Iran.

On the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement meetings in Baku, Azerbaijan, Sudan’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Sadeq Ali met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to urgently discuss the restoration of severed relations between the two countries.

Sudan abruptly severed its diplomatic ties with Iran in January 2016, during the tenure of former President Omar al-Bashir.

At that time, it was stated that the decision to cut ties with Iran was in response to the brutal attack on the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad.

However, Bashir had already laid the groundwork for this decision in 2014 when he ordered the closure of Hussainiyas and the Iranian Cultural Center in Khartoum.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry confirmed in a statement on Thursday that Sadeq Ali had met with Amir-Abdollahian.

According to the statement, the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the prompt restoration of relations between the two nations and the significance of returning these relations to their previous state.

This restoration would allow both countries to capitalize on cooperative opportunities across diverse fields.

For his part, Sadeq Ali expressed appreciation for the humanitarian aid provided by the Iranian Red Crescent and extended congratulations on the reinstatement of Iran’s relations with Saudi Arabia.

The Foreign Ministry statement mentioned that Sadeq Ali discussed with his Iranian counterpart the developments in Sudan and informed him about the Sudanese army’s ability to “swiftly resolve the rebellion.”

He emphasized that the delay in resolving the situation was due to the presence of rebels within government facilities and civilian homes. Sadeq Ali also conveyed that the Sudanese army is not inclined to adopt a scorched-earth policy.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry quoted the top Iranian diplomat expressing regret over the situation in Sudan.

Amir-Abdollahian stated that his government considers the ongoing events “an internal matter” and emphasized that the solution should come from the Sudanese themselves, without any external interference.

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Four Bodies, Four Survivors Recovered from Egypt Red Sea Sinking, Says Governor

Sea Story had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March. (Red Sea Governorate on Facebook)
Sea Story had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March. (Red Sea Governorate on Facebook)
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Four Bodies, Four Survivors Recovered from Egypt Red Sea Sinking, Says Governor

Sea Story had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March. (Red Sea Governorate on Facebook)
Sea Story had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March. (Red Sea Governorate on Facebook)

Rescuers on Tuesday recovered four bodies and four survivors a day after a diving boat capsized off Egypt's eastern coast, Red Sea governor Amr Hanafi said, with eight people still missing.

Among the survivors were two Belgians, one Swiss national and one Egyptian, the governor said, bringing the total number of survivors from the vessel to 32. The four dead have not yet been identified and eight people remain missing.

"Rescue operations are ongoing today, supported by a military helicopter and a frigate in addition to multiple divers," Hanafi told AFP.

The vessel was carrying 31 tourists of multiple nationalities and a 13-member crew when it was hit by a large wave early on Monday, leading it to capsize near Marsa Alam in southeastern Egypt. The "Sea Story" had embarked on a multi-day diving trip on Sunday and had been due to dock on Friday at the town of Hurghada, 200 kilometres (124 miles) north.

The governor on Monday said the boat had sunk within 5-7 minutes of its impact with the wave, leaving some passengers -- among them European, Chinese and American tourists -- unable to escape their cabins in time.

- Survivors -

Rescuers from the military and a passing tourist boat had pulled 28 people from the waters on Monday. According to a source at a hospital in Marsa Alam, six tourists and three Egyptians were admitted with minor injuries and discharged on Monday.

The tourists included "two Germans, two Britons, one Spaniard and one Swiss national," the hospital administrator told AFP, requesting anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

According to the governor's office, the boat was carrying tourists from Belgium, Britain, China, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland and the United States.

Among the missing are two Polish and two Finnish tourists, according to both countries' foreign ministries.

Authorities have said the vessel was fully licensed and had passed all its inspection checks. A preliminary investigation showed no technical fault.

The Marsa Alam area experienced at least two similar boat accidents earlier this year but there were no fatalities. The Red Sea coast is a major tourist destination in Egypt, a country of 107 million that is in the grip of a serious economic crisis.

Nationally, the tourism sector employs two million people and generates more than 10 percent of its GDP.

Dozens of dive boats crisscross between Red Sea coral reefs and islands off Egypt's eastern coast every day, where safety regulations are robust but unevenly enforced.

Earlier this month, 30 people were rescued from a sinking dive boat near the Red Sea's Daedalus reef. In June, two dozen French tourists were evacuated safely before their boat sank in a similar accident.

Last year, three British tourists died when a fire broke out on their yacht.