Iran is leveraging alliances with the Houthi movement and authorities in Port Sudan to extend strategic control over Red Sea shipping lanes [1].
This expansion allows Tehran to link two critical maritime choke points, the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab corridor, creating a strategic belt to pressure regional rivals and secure alternative oil-export routes [1, 2].
Regional analysts say the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which escalated between 2023 and 2024 [3, 4], provided the opening for this shift. Musbah Ahmed said the Sudanese war offered Iran an opportunity to strengthen its military presence in the region [1].
In July, reports highlighted the growing coordination between Tehran and the Houthi movement [3]. While the Houthi-led maritime blockade intensified around July 20 [3], the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied any direct involvement in recent attacks on ships in the Red Sea on July 23 [4].
Despite these denials, some observers suggest the Houthi escalation provides Tehran with a new point of leverage in the global energy market [2]. This perceived support suggests a coordinated effort to project power across the Arabian Peninsula.
Colonel Thabet Hussein Saleh said the alliance between the Port Sudan authorities and Iran could turn eastern Sudan into an additional link in Iranian influence. He said this development threatens neighboring countries and international navigation in the Red Sea [1].
The strategic move transforms the Port of Sudan into a potential military or logistical hub for Iranian interests, bridging the gap between the Persian Gulf and the African coast [1, 2].
“The Sudanese war offered Iran an opportunity to strengthen its military presence in the region.”
By securing a foothold in both Yemen and Sudan, Iran is effectively attempting to bracket the Red Sea. This 'belt' strategy reduces Tehran's reliance on a single exit point for its interests and allows it to disrupt global trade at two separate nodes, increasing its diplomatic and economic bargaining power with Western powers and regional competitors.
