Relationship dossier
The Gambia
Iran
Relationship assessment
A serious rupture followed the disputed 2010 Iranian arms shipment reported to be destined for The Gambia.
The Gambia toward Iran
-20In 2010, The Gambia severed diplomatic relations with Iran after Nigerian authorities intercepted an arms shipment from Iran reported to be destined for The Gambia.
Iran toward The Gambia
Not assessedOverall relationship
Not assessedHow to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
The Gambia severed diplomatic relations with Iran in 2010 after Nigerian authorities intercepted an arms shipment from Iran that was reported to be destined for The Gambia. The incident prompted a serious bilateral rupture, but the shipment’s intended destination and the extent of Iranian government responsibility were disputed. The scope of subsequent bilateral engagement is unclear.
Areas of tension
- The 2010 arms shipment from Iran intercepted in Nigeria, whose reported destination was The Gambia.
Key developments
The Gambia severed diplomatic relations with Iran following the interception in Nigeria of an Iranian arms shipment reported to be destined for The Gambia.
Major uncertainties
- The intended recipient of the 2010 Iranian arms shipment and the extent of Iranian government responsibility were disputed.
- The scope and timing of subsequent government engagement between The Gambia and Iran are unclear.