Sudan: The Impact of the U.S.-Iran War On Sudan

What the report says

African Arguments, published via AllAfrica on 1 August 2026, argues that the US-Israel war with Iran is likely to have spillover effects in Sudan, where the army and the Rapid Support Forces have been fighting since 2023. The analysis says the conflict in the Gulf has already pushed up fuel costs and may also affect food supplies, because shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has become more uncertain and some fertiliser flows are exposed to disruption.

The article says these pressures matter in Sudan because bread and fuel prices have helped shape politics before, and because the current war has made access to both commodities central to survival, transport, farming and military operations. It also notes that higher logistics costs could deepen hardship in a country already facing severe displacement and food insecurity.

A second theme is shifting regional alignments. The piece says the UAE has backed the RSF, while Egypt and Saudi Arabia have supported the SAF to different degrees. It suggests the war with Iran has weakened the UAE relative to Saudi Arabia, which has a Red Sea coastline and pipeline infrastructure that make it less vulnerable to Gulf shipping disruption. The analysis further says Iran has built ties with SAF-aligned actors since 2023, but the war may limit Tehran’s ability to provide support. Overall, the report contends that these changes could disadvantage the RSF and alter the balance of power inside Sudan.