In a notable development towards the normalization of Sudan-Iran relations, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council, formally received the credentials of Iran's new ambassador, Hassan Shah Hosseini, in Port Sudan on Sunday.

In a statement, the council described the ceremony as "the beginning of a new phase in bilateral relations" between the two nations.

Sudan's Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Hussein al-Amin emphasized that the ambassadorial exchange is a "key component" in advancing cooperation.

The Iranian envoy expressed his commitment to enhancing ties, underscoring a mutual intent to strengthen relations. On the same day, Sudan's new ambassador to Iran, Abdulaziz Hassan Saleh, departed for Tehran and is expected to resume his duties shortly.

This diplomatic thaw follows an agreement reached in October 2023 to restore relations. Sudan severed diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in a show of solidarity with Saudi Arabia, after the kingdom's embassy was attacked in Tehran.

(Cover: File photo of Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Soveregin Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan speaking at a news conference in Khartoum, Sudan, November 21, 2021. /Xinhua)