Following the 12-Day War… Al Burhan’s alliance with Iran is in the balance

A foreign sense of uncertainty surrounds the fate of the alliance between Iran and the Port Sudan Authority, led by Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, following the US and Israeli strikes targeting Tehran’s nuclear and military facilities.

 

In addition to exhausting Iran, the 12-day war inflicted material and human losses, including the deaths of prominent nuclear scientists. It resulted in significant damages that extended to Iran’s infrastructure, particularly its Air Force, including cargo planes, which were the primary means of supplying Port Sudan forces with weapons.

 

Press reports revealed that the Iranian interference in Sudan and its support for the Port Sudan forces as well as the Islamist militias allied with Al-Burhan were evident from the beginning of the war, as Iran provided (Shahed 129) drones, however, several of which were shot down by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

 

The Imminent Collapse

Sudanese sources stated that Iran, through its continued support for the Port Sudan forces, sought to secure concessions and pledges in an effort to expand its influence and own a port on the Red Sea coast. 

 

According to the sources, and in light of the consequences Iran experienced due to the most recent war, the alliance between Al-Burhan and Tehran is now threatened for logistical and political reasons, nevertheless, said reasons are now being imposed on Iran, as the latter is busy repairing the damage to its infrastructure as well as nuclear and vital facilities.

 

They pointed out that Israel had previously expressed concern regarding the alliance between Tehran and the Port Sudan Authority, prompting the latter to respond by stating that it had turned to Iran for weapons because Tel Aviv had refused to fulfill such requests and supply Al-Burhan’s forces.

 

Furthermore, they explained that Al-Burhan now fears being targeted if his alliance with Tehran continues, in light of the war waged by Israel against Iranian proxies in the region, especially after launching a direct strike against Tehran with the participation of the United States, which -in turn- imposed severe sanctions on the Port Sudan forces and their Commander-in-Chief, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.

 

Halting the supply of Iranian drones to Port Sudan forces threatens to deprive them of their most significant edge against the Rapid Support Forces. In a recording addressed to his troops, the Commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, confirmed that the Sudanese Army’s successful advancement in the battle of Wad Medani was due to “Iranian drones.”

 

Israel Senses the Danger

On the other hand, an Israeli position has begun to emerge, calling for an urgent address in regards to the threat posed by the alliance between Port Sudan and Tehran, as it could potentially threaten Israel’s security.

 

This comes amidst Iran’s preoccupation with addressing the damage caused by the war and Tel Aviv’s open war on Iranian proxies in the Middle East.

 

A report in the (Jerusalem Post) described Al-Burhan as Iran’s man in Sudan, making the latter a flashpoint that threatens Israel’s security, which -in turn- views Al-Burhan as a tool tasked with expanding the Iranian influence in Africa.

 

The newspaper stated that Israel will continue to pursue Iranian proxies in the region, referring to the Commander-in-Chief of the Port Sudan forces, stressing that Sudan is no longer just an arena for a civil war, but rather an emerging Iranian hotbed for launching “terrorist” operations against Tel Aviv and Western interests.

 

In addition, the newspaper accused Al-Burhan of playing the role of an ally of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, noting that he provides a safe haven for fugitive Hamas members, paving the way for Iran to become a suitable location for Hamas to regroup after its dismantling in the Gaza Strip.

 

The report published in the (Jerusalem Post), which is an official voice of the Israeli government, indicated that the alliance between Iran and Al-Burhan goes beyond arms supplies and includes the infiltration of Iranian intelligence agents in Khartoum, posing a direct threat to Israel.