Iran and Gambia Restore Diplomatic Ties After 14 Years

Iran and Gambia Restore Diplomatic Ties After 14 Years

Iran and The Gambia resumed diplomatic ties on Monday, nearly 14 years after The Gambia severed them.

A joint statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that the decision was made during a meeting between Iran’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani and Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara in Tehran, aligning with both countries’ interests.

The Gambian Foreign Minister is in Tehran for the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, scheduled for Tuesday.

The statement noted that both governments agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in political, economic, investment, trade, and cultural spheres. It also mentioned that their embassies in Dakar would act as diplomatic contact points to facilitate the resumption of official diplomacy.

The Gambia cut diplomatic and economic relations with Iran in November 2010, ordering all Iranian representatives to leave within 48 hours. No reason was cited for the severance, but Tehran attributed the action to pressure from the United States.