Iranian warships dock in Sudan

KHARTOUM: Two Iranian warships docked in Port Sudan yesterday, a witness said, marking the second port call by the Iranian navy in Sudan in five weeks.
The Iranian navy said the 1,400 ton warship Jamaran and the 4,700 ton support ship Bushehr “docked in Port Sudan, after successfully carrying out their assignments in the Red Sea and were greeted by high-ranking Sudanese naval commanders.”
It did not say how long the warships would stay in port.
Khartoum said it was a “normal” port call but Israeli officials have expressed concern about arms smuggling through Sudan.
They have long accused the African country of serving as a base of support for Palestinian militants.
Sudanese army spokesman Sawarmi Khaled Saad had initially announced the warship visit for Nov. 30.
“It is part of diplomatic and military exchanges between the two countries,” and will last for three days, he told reporters on Friday night.
A pair of Iranian navy vessels, the supply ship Kharg and corvette Admiral Naghdi, spent about two days at Port Sudan in late October.
Khartoum accused Israel of an Oct. 23 strike against the Yarmouk military factory in the capital, which led to speculation that Iranian weapons were stored or manufactured there.
Israel refused all comment on Sudan’s accusation about the factory blast.
But a top Israeli defense official said Sudan “serves as a route for the transfer, via Egyptian territory, of Iranian weapons to Palestinian militants.”
Khartoum said Israel was spreading “fabricated information” about links between the Yarmouk military factory and Iran.
Sudan’s foreign ministry denied Iran had any involvement in the plant.
On Tues day, Foreign Minister Ali Karti said Sudan welcomes the navies of any country, “except Israel.”
A Pakistani warship visited Port Sudan in late November.