A detailed analysis of satellite imagery and flight data has revealed an extensive Iranian airlift operation to Sudan, supplying General al-Burhan’s forces (SAF) with weapons, including advanced drones.
This discovery, part of a report by the Conflict Observatory, indicates at least nine flights between December 2023 and July 2024, reflecting growing ties between Tehran and Sudan’s military regime.
The report centers on the role of Qeshm Fars Air, an Iranian cargo airline sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for its involvement in military shipments to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The airline’s aircraft, particularly EP-FAB, made several trips from Tehran to Port Sudan, allegedly carrying military hardware. Researchers point to suspicious flight behaviors such as deactivating transponders before landing, a practice commonly associated with covert military operations.
According to the report, these flights appear linked to the appearance of Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drones and other military supplies on the Sudanese battlefield, coinciding with a January 2024 Sudanese offensive against rival factions.
The research team also highlighted additional stops made by the flights at Iran’s Bandar Abbas, a strategic hub for drone operations, before continuing to Sudan.
This development signals the resurgence of a previously dormant military alliance between Sudan and Iran, reestablished following Sudan’s decision to normalize relations with Tehran after an eight-year freeze.
The strengthening of this relationship comes at a time of regional realignment, with Iran also increasing its influence across the Red Sea through its support of the Houthi movement in Yemen.
The new evidence underscores the deepening involvement of foreign powers in Sudan’s ongoing conflict, with Iranian arms shipments adding to a complex mix of international interests in the country.
The use of advanced weaponry such as drones could further intensify the fighting, prolonging a civil war that has already devastated Sudan.
This report by the Conflict Observatory brings to light the covert tactics and strategic maneuvers shaping the war, offering a rare glimpse into the murky logistics of international arms transfers and their impact on the Sudanese conflict.
