Iranian Weapons in Army's Hands... Will it Reshape the Sudanese Scene?

Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan during a visit to his forces in the east of the country. (SUNA)
Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan during a visit to his forces in the east of the country. (SUNA)
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Iranian Weapons in Army's Hands... Will it Reshape the Sudanese Scene?

Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan during a visit to his forces in the east of the country. (SUNA)
Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan during a visit to his forces in the east of the country. (SUNA)

The announcement that the Sudanese army had acquired Iranian Mohajer-6 drones and that Sudan had restored its relations with the Tehran government, coincided with severe tension in Iranian-US relations, which reached its peak, on Friday night.
The US and UK launched raids on Iranian targets in both Syria and Iraq on Friday, in parallel with missile attacks and the interception of ships in the Red Sea by the Houthis, raising the question of whether these developments will redraw the Sudanese scene.
In addition to the strained relations between Washington and Tehran, the region is witnessing escalating tensions, including the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel, the Houthi’s targeting of tankers in the Red Sea, and the American bombing of sites belonging to the pro-Iranian group, in addition to the recent strikes against Iranian targets in Iraq and Syria.
Dr. Bakri Al-Jak Al-Madani, professor of public policy and administration at Long Island University in New York, believes that Islamists in Sudan, in their drive to consolidate their relations with Iran and their quest to obtain Iranian weapons, do not only aim to improve the army’s operational position on the ground, but rather to achieve a strategic purpose that is to transform the conflict in Sudan into a regional war.
Professor of Political Science at Al-Neelain University, Professor Hassan Al-Saouri, said that America was angry at the restoration of Sudanese-Iranian relations, but he stressed that Sudan has the right to seek its interests wherever they may be.
“Sudan is threatened by 7 or 8 countries, and America is still dealing with it in its old approach by making bright promises, which drives it to search for a party that will support it and fulfill these promises,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The academic called on the US to change the way it deals with Sudan, as the African country would not let its interests be exposed to danger.
For his part, professor of political science at Omdurman Islamic University, Dr. Bashir Al-Sharif, stressed that ties between the Muslim Brotherhood movement and Iran were historical, noting that the ruling Islamists in Sudan benefited from that relationship in the areas of military training and supply.



Blinken Seeks to Avert Syria Turmoil with Europeans on Final Trip

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) met French FM Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. Ludovic MARIN / POOL/AFP
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) met French FM Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. Ludovic MARIN / POOL/AFP
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Blinken Seeks to Avert Syria Turmoil with Europeans on Final Trip

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) met French FM Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. Ludovic MARIN / POOL/AFP
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) met French FM Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. Ludovic MARIN / POOL/AFP

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was heading on Thursday to Rome for talks with European counterparts on bringing stability to Syria in the face of flare-ups with Türkiye, capping what is likely his final trip.
Blinken had been expected to remain in Italy through the weekend to join President Joe Biden but the outgoing US leader scrapped his trip, which was to include an audience with Pope Francis, to address wildfires sweeping Los Angeles.
Blinken, on a trip that has taken him to South Korea, Japan and France, was heading on Thursday from Paris and will meet for dinner in Rome with counterparts from Britain, France, Germany and Italy.
In Paris on Wednesday, Blinken said the United States was united with the Europeans on seeking a peaceful, stable Syria, a month after the opposition factions toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.
But concerns have mounted over Türkiye’s threats against Syrian Kurdish fighters, who have effectively run their own state during the brutal civil war engulfing Syria.
A war monitor said that battles between Turkish-backed groups, supported by air strikes, and Kurdish-led forces killed 37 people on Thursday.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have worked with the United States on Washington's main stated priority -- battling the ISIS extremist group -- but Türkiye says the SDF has links with PKK militants at home.
Blinken in Paris said that Türkiye had "legitimate concerns" and that the SDF should gradually be integrated into a revamped national army, with foreign fighters removed.
"That's a process that's going to take some time. And in the meantime, what is profoundly not in the interest of everything positive we see happening in Syria would be a conflict," Blinken told reporters.
"We'll work very hard to make sure that that doesn't happen."
Blinken said he expected no change on goals in Syria from US President-elect Donald Trump, who takes over on January 20.
During his last term, Trump briefly said he would accede to a plea by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to pull out US troops that have been working in Syria with the Kurdish forces.
But he backed down after counter-appeals led by French President Emmanuel Macron.
When to ease sanctions?
Also on the agenda in Rome will be whether and when to ease sanctions on Syria.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Wednesday that some sanctions "could be lifted quickly".
The US Treasury Department said this week it would ease enforcement on restrictions that affect essential services.
But US officials say they will wait to see progress before any wider easing of sanctions -- and the Biden administration is unlikely in its final days to accept the political costs of removing Syria's victorious Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels from the US "terrorism" blacklist.
While Western powers are largely in synch on Syria, some differences remain.
Blinken reiterated US calls on European countries to repatriate citizens of theirs detained in Syria for working with the ISIS group and languishing in vast camps run by the Kurdish fighters.
France and Britain, with painful memories of attacks by homegrown extremists, have little desire to bring militants back.
The Rome talks come a week after the French and German foreign ministers, Jean-Noel Barrot and Annalena Baerbock, jointly visited Damascus and met new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to encourage an inclusive transition.
Sharaa, has promised to protect minorities after the fall of the iron-fisted but largely secular Assad.
A senior US official in turn said last month on meeting Sharaa that Washington was dropping a $10-million bounty on his head.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani will pay his own visit to Syria on Friday, during which he plans to announce an initial development aid package.
Italy's hard-right government has pledged to reduce immigration. Millions of Syrians sought asylum in Europe during the civil war, triggering a backlash in some parts of the continent that shook up European politics.
In contrast to other major European powers, Italy had moved to normalize ties with Assad just weeks before he fell, presuming at the time that he had effectively won the war.