Gambia: Breaking Relations with Iran

By on November 24, 2010
Gambia has announced the severance of all relations with Iran and Iranian officials were ordered to leave the country within 48 hours.

No explanation was given for this decision. The Gambian foreign ministry reportedly said that this initiative was linked to the interception in October in Nigeria of the shipment of weapons from Iran and apparently intended for the Gambian territory. All existing projects and programs in cooperation with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran have been cancelled. The Nigerian Services stopped, in Lagos, last month a shipment of rockets and various weapons coming from Iran. The logbook and navigation data were indicating that these weapons were destined for Gambia. Nigeria has reported the seizure to the U.N Security Council, which has imposed, in last June, a new package of sanctions on Iran for pursuing its nuclear program. According to diplomatic sources, the investigation has focused on two Iranians suspected of being key members of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Nigerian police services have been able to question one of the two men fled to the Iranian embassy in Abuja, but have not been able to question the second man, due to his diplomatic immunity.

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