Somalia cuts diplomatic ties with Iran over national security concerns

The government of Somalia has announced it is cutting diplomatic ties with Iran over what it terms as clandestine activities by Iranian embassy officials in Somalia in a move aimed at creating and financing armed groups.

Goobjoog News has learnt that the government is pointing fingers at the Iranian charity, Iman Khomeini Foundation for conducting activities beyond its mandate bent on compromising the country’s national security. It notes that the foundation is working under the guise of charity but was actively involved in acts detriment to peace and stability in Somalia.

The government has subsequently ordered the Imam Khomeini Foundation to cease operations in Somalia and leave the country with immediate effect.

Somalia joins a growing list of Arab and Islamic countries which have severed diplomatic ties with Iran following a spat between Saudi Arabia and Iran over the execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al- Nimr in Saudi Arabia and subsequent attack of the Saudi’s embassy in Iran last week.

Somalia has not however indicated its move to cut diplomatic relations with Iran was a direct result of the diplomatic impasse between the Iran and Saudi Arabia considered as the centers of the Shitte and Sunni divisions of Islam respectively.

In a statement this evening, the government of Somalia has accused Iranian embassy officials of conducting what it termed as suspect missions in parts of the country without the consent of authorities with the aim of creating and funding terrorists groups.

“Iranian embassy officials regularly visit various parts of the country without informing the authorities in the country. Their aim is to create and finance terrorist groups as it has done in countries such as Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq. This is a violation of the Vienna convention and as result therefore Somalia is cutting ties with Iran,” read a statement in part.

The Vienna Convention is an international convention that provides framework for diplomatic relations between independent countries.

Sudan, Barhain and Djibouti are among a number of countries which have cut diplomatic relations with Iran after Iranian protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran, ransacking and setting fire to the building in retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric and 46 others on Saturday.

Goobjoog News will be publishing details of the allegations by the government over the Imam Khomeini Foundation and the activities of the Iranian embassy officials in the coming days.