Iran has strongly condemned Israel's formal recognition of Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent sovereign state, describing the move as a "flagrant violation" of international law and Somalia's territorial integrity. In a statement issued on December 27, 2025, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei accused Israel of advancing a plot to disintegrate the Muslim-majority country while exacerbating regional insecurity in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa.
Baghaei stated that the Israeli action is part of a broader policy of destabilization, urging the international community to take decisive measures against what he called the "expansionist and threatening" behavior of the "occupying regime." He reaffirmed Iran's support for the condemnations issued by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the African Union (AU), emphasizing the necessity of respecting Somalia's national sovereignty and unity.
The Iranian response aligns with widespread regional backlash following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement on December 26, 2025, that Israel had signed a joint declaration recognizing Somaliland and establishing full diplomatic relations. Netanyahu described the agreement as being "in the spirit of the Abraham Accords," with plans for cooperation in agriculture, health, technology, and security. Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi welcomed it as a "historic moment," expressing intent to join the Accords.
Somaliland, a former British protectorate, unilaterally declared independence in 1991 amid Somalia's civil war. It has maintained de facto autonomy with its own government, currency, elections, and institutions, achieving relative stability, but lacked formal recognition from any UN member state until Israel's decision.
Somalia's government swiftly rejected the recognition as an "unlawful step" and "deliberate attack" on its sovereignty, insisting Somaliland remains an "integral and inseparable" part of the country. The African Union firmly rejected any recognition, warning it risks setting a "dangerous precedent" for continental peace. The OIC categorically condemned the move as a violation of Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Other nations, including Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, and China, issued similar rebukes, viewing it as interference and a threat to stability. Some reports suggest strategic motives, including potential Israeli access to Somaliland's Berbera port on the Gulf of Aden for monitoring or operations related to Yemen's Houthis.
Iran's condemnation ties the issue to its longstanding criticism of Israel, framing it within broader regional tensions.
