Reports: Iran , Houthis Training Islamist Factions in Sudan

A recent report by Foreign Affairs magazine revealed the expansion of Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” networks into Sudan, highlighting the role of Yemen’s Houthi movement in transferring weapons and training Islamist factions aligned with the Sudanese army. 

The findings shed light on new dimensions of Iranian influence in the war that has raged since April 2023.

The report suggests Sudan has become a new theater for Iranian‑linked activity, with ties evolving beyond the supply of weapons and drones to the transfer of military and technical expertise to local Islamist groups. 

Sudan’s strategic location on the Red Sea and its historic ties with Iran and the Revolutionary Guard during the era of former president Omar al‑Bashir add weight to these developments.

According to Foreign Affairs, the Houthis who have gained extensive experience in manufacturing and deploying Iranian drones and missiles during Yemen’s war are now part of a wider network exporting this expertise beyond Yemen. Sudan has emerged as a key arena for such activity.

A separate study by Century International detailed the growing Houthi presence in Port Sudan and other areas, citing regional and Western officials who reported that Houthi operatives, alongside Iranian Revolutionary Guard elements, are training Islamist factions allied with the Sudanese army in drone production and use. 

These concerns have intensified since 2025 and continued into 2026, pointing to deepening ties between the Houthis and Islamist networks within Sudan’s military.

The reports indicate a shift in Iran’s involvement in Sudan from supplying ready‑made military systems to embedding knowledge and expertise for local production and operation. 

Analysts note this reflects a broader transformation in the “Axis of Resistance,” where groups once trained and armed by Iran, such as the Houthis, now possess the capacity to train and equip others.

Sudan’s Islamist factions, many of them linked to military figures from the Bashir era, appear to be the primary beneficiaries of this model. Their longstanding ties with Iran date back to the 1990s, when Sudan was a key ally of Tehran in Africa and a conduit for weapons bound for Hamas.

The outbreak of Sudan’s civil war in April 2023 created renewed opportunities for these networks. 

The latest revelations suggest cooperation may now extend beyond drone deliveries to localized training and production, signaling a deeper Iranian footprint in Sudan’s conflict.