TEHRAN- Ali al-Sadiq Ali, Sudan’s Foreign Minister, has refuted claims by Western media on Iran's endeavor to create a permanent naval base on the nation's Red Sea coast in Northeast Africa.

“I have read the article published in American daily newspaper The Wall Street Journal. The news story is false and fabricated,” Ali told the Arabic service of Russia’s Sputnik news agency on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2024 in the southwestern Turkish city of Antalya on Sunday.

He clarified that Sudan has not been asked to create a base by Iran. “I just visited Iran, but no one brought up this matter to me there.”

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that Iran has asked Sudanese officials for permission to establish a permanent naval facility on the Red Sea coast. 

The newspaper quoted a senior Sudanese intelligence official as saying that Iran offered Sudan advanced weaponry, including a helicopter-carrying warship, in exchange for consent to build the base.

According to the source, Ahmed Hassan Mohamed, Iran would have been able to “gather intelligence” and “station warships” close to the strategically important Suez Canal and the Israeli-occupied areas if the facility had been in place.

Iran and Sudan decided to resume diplomatic ties in October of last year, following a seven-year break. The two sides decided to strengthen their relationship in a number of areas that would benefit both Muslim countries and promote stability in the region.

In 2016, Sudan severed diplomatic ties with Iran in response to the Saudi embassy in Tehran being stormed.

The African nation has been in disarray since the battle began on April 15, 2023, as a result of an ongoing power struggle between General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary organization and General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's Sudanese Armed Forces.

Back in February, Sadeq embarked on a landmark visit to Iran, meeting with his counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian and President Ebrahim Raisi. 

President Raisi highlighted the mutual potential and shared determination of both states to enhance bilateral relations across political, economic, and cultural spheres. 

Addressing recent regional developments, Raisi emphasized the Islamic Republic of Iran's steadfast commitment to maintaining a distance from the Zionist regime.

He underscored that Tel Aviv's attempts to sow discord among Muslims through conspiracies have consistently failed.

During his meeting with Sadeq, Abdollahian emphasized the opening of a new chapter in bilateral relations. 

He highlighted the Sudanese delegation's presence as a testament to the serious resolve of both countries to enhance cooperation.

Amir Abdollahian underscored the importance of reopening embassies and revitalizing ties, expressing hope that ambassadors would soon be appointed to solidify the relationship. 

He further pointed to Iran's potential in industry, technology, engineering, medicine, and pharmaceuticals, offering to share expertise with Sudan.

Echoing his counterpart's sentiment, Sadeq acknowledged the long-standing historical ties between the two nations and expressed his pleasure with the visit. 

He affirmed Khartoum’s strong desire to build robust ties with Tehran, looking forward to future collaborations and agreements.