Relationship dossier
Iran
Sudan
Relationship assessment
Iran–Sudan ties have shifted from cooperation to rupture and renewed diplomatic engagement
Iran toward Sudan
+30Iran maintained close political and military relations with Sudan under Omar al-Bashir. The two governments restored diplomatic relations in 2023 after a break that began in 2016; the extent of renewed Iranian cooperation is unclear.
Sudan toward Iran
+25Sudan cooperated politically and militarily with Iran under Omar al-Bashir, but closed Iranian cultural centers in 2014 over concerns about proselytizing and severed relations in 2016. Sudan restored diplomatic relations with Iran in 2023.
Overall relationship
+20The relationship has included sustained political and military cooperation, but it has also been interrupted by Sudan's 2016 severance of ties. The 2023 restoration marks renewed engagement, although the scale and durability of cooperation are not clear.
How 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
Iran and Sudan have had periods of substantial political and military cooperation, including under Omar al-Bashir, followed by a break in relations in 2016 and restoration in 2023. Sudan closed Iranian cultural centers in 2014, citing concerns about proselytizing, and later severed ties amid its alignment with Saudi Arabia. The relationship has since resumed, but its scope and durability remain uncertain.
Areas of tension
- Sudan closed Iranian cultural centers in 2014, citing concerns about proselytizing.
- Sudan severed diplomatic relations with Iran in 2016.
Key developments
Sudan closed Iranian cultural centers, citing concerns about proselytizing.
Sudan severed diplomatic relations with Iran.
Iran and Sudan restored diplomatic relations.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of cooperation following the 2023 restoration of diplomatic relations are unclear.
- The extent of military cooperation between the governments is uncertain.