Sudan’s civil war an Iranian and Turkish opportunity
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Alaina - . January 29, 2025
- . Update: January 29, 2025 4:55 pm
The African nation remains a hot topic in the global stage, as others in the region attempt to stabilize its governance, Sudan is going through an internal power struggle. Peace talks between the two conflicting sides has reached a blocked path losing all hope for it to be achieved. Thus, pitting Sudan in a vulnerable position as regional powers attempt to wrestle its way for a piece of the pie. Underlining unresolved regional differences, it is of no surprise existing ideologically opposing sides carry over their on-going pursuit of influential gain in a war-torn nation, setting up a new scene for Tukey and Iran to maneuver in.
Turkey and Iran have an established bilateral trade benefiting both countries economically; this defines the intricate dynamic relations of both states, spearheaded by energy, free trade and transportation. Iran supplies 1/5th of Turkey’s oil and natural gas in times the Iranian economy is burdened by sanctions due to the failed nuclear deal.
Additionally their shared views on the Kurdish Separatist movement which both of these nations have had their securities tested, Turkey takes a stronger and firmer stance on the mentioned movement while Iran on the other hand prefers to keep it the way it is, assimilating the current Kurdish population into Iranian society which is further backed up by instilling Kurdish representative presence in Iranian Parliament. Neither of the two would like to shapeshift the region to accommodate a geographical change introducing a potentially unified enemy.
Geopolitics takes these two economically bilateral states and draws the divide, historically the Shia state views an opposing stance on shared topics to its secular neighbor which expands through time and at least two different regions. The Levant and Iraq being one of the most recent evidence in which this divide exists, one in which Tehran’s influence is quickly dimming out due to various resistances but largely the military offenses carried by the IDF in recent months eliminating several figureheads known to be backed up by the Persians. Further magnifying these differences, Iran’s continuous efforts of eliminating US presence in the region while Turkey bolster’s its friendly stance with both Washington and Tel Aviv.
This carries over to the African Continent, Sudan for the onlookers is a land to set up camp, in which both Iran and Turkey are interested, but the incentives and goals are completely on the opposite side of each other. Shiism remains the mandatory goal for Tehran as the spiritual leader of the Shiite world it would grant direct influence from the Persian capital on internal and international matters pertaining to all economic and political matters in the future; another incentive is Sudan’s natural resources, specifically uranium which adds to Iran’s nuclear goals.
Offering itself as a peacemaker, Turkey’s approach is to establish friendly ties withing the African continent by means of mediation and diplomacy to end the ongoing war in Sudan. Empowering and supporting external ideologies established via existing parties in Sudan and neighboring countries which all positively increases Turkey’s agendas.
Ultimately Tehran and Ankara’s tread in the African nation is to extend its influence in the Horn of Africa, a strategic point in which whoever controls will gain an economic chokepoint further advancing its position in regional and international politicking.
