The Sahel region of Africa, stretching from Mauritania in the west to Sudan in the east, traditionally was not a main focus of Iran’s foreign policy when it came to the African continent. Geographic distance and the relative poverty of the region’s countries coupled with a heavy security and economic presence of Western countries were major disincentives for Tehran.
Yet, following a series of coups in the Sahel, the presence of Western countries in the region began to shrink, particularly with the withdrawal of French and U.S. military forces from parts of the region. And Iran has moved to fill the geopolitical void, notably providing training and military equipment, such as combat drones and surface-to-air missiles, to Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
Iran’s interest in cooperating with the Sahel countries is partially driven by its nuclear program. In 2024, there were reports that Iran was negotiating with Niger’s military, offering advanced military equipment in exchange for access to approximately 300 tons of uranium concentrate from deposits near Arlit in Niger. Iran and Niger denied the deal, which would have been valued at $56 million. The alleged deal may have contributed to tensions with the U.S. military presence in Niger, leading Niger to end its defense cooperation agreement with Washington, prompting a U.S. troop withdrawal.
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Emil Avdaliani is a Research Fellow at the Turan Research Center.