Sudan denies connection between Iranian warships visit

Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Karti refuted Tuesday that there was any connection between the arrival of two Iranian warships in Port-Sudan and the recent attack on an arsenal complex in the capital Khartoum. "There is no connection between the presence of the two Iranian ships in Port-Sudan harbor and the flagrant Israeli aggression against Al-Yarmouk complex," Karti told reporters here. The Sudanese minister further renewed his country's accusation of Israel of being behind the bombardment of the complex, saying " Israel utilizes its high technology which it obtains from America to commit terrorist acts." Meanwhile, the Sudanese army on Tuesday announced that the visit by the two Iranian warships to Sudan "supports the strong relations" between the two countries. Iranian media organs earlier said two Iranian warships arrived at Port-Sudan harbor Monday as part of the country's strategy aimed at expanding Iranian maritime deployment in the regional waters. The Sudanese army regarded the arrival of the two Iranian warships as a normal matter and within the context of the cooperation ties between the two countries. "The visit of the two ships will support the strong political, security and diplomatic ties between the two countries. The visit avails a good opportunity for the Sudanese navy officers and students to get acquainted with the weapons and equipment of these ships," Al-Sawarmy Khalid Saad, spokesman for Sudanese army, told reporters. Sudan earlier accused Israel of launching an airstrike against Al-Yarmouk arsenal complex in Khartoum on Oct. 23, which killed two people and wounded another.