Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stunned dignitaries and attendees at a forum in Doha, Qatar, by revealing that he had expelled Iranian diplomats from Somalia in 2016 due to their alleged involvement in pushing “Shiite agenda” in the country.
President Mohamud made these remarks on Wednesday at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies in Doha during his official state visit to Qatar, highlighting the strained relationship between Federal Republic of Somalia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“While we observed the presence of unlawful fishing boats, from Iran in our waters, but we stood firm in our decision to prevent the proliferation of Shiite beliefs within our predominantly Sunni nation.” He said.
“We hold deep regard for the Shiite community, but we firmly uphold our stance against the propagation of their ideology and religious practices within our borders.”
The Somali Government had kept the expulsion of Iranian diplomats in 2016 under wraps until late January of this year, when the President finally broached the topic during a conference attended by pro-government religious scholars.
Outraged by the strong remarks by the Somali leader, the Iranian Ambassador to Qatar who was present at the forum immediately walked out in protest, demonstrating Iran’s dissatisfaction with the remarks.
However, experts have long speculated that the decision to expel the diplomats was influenced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a long-time rival of Iran at the time, contrary to President Mohamud’s assertion that it was solely in response to concerns over Iran’s alleged support for Shia missionary activities within Somalia.
The Somali administration, at the time led by President Mohamud himself, stated that the government considered the alleged Iranian missionary activities incompatible with Somalia’s predominantly Sunni Muslim population.
The Iranian government has yet to issue an official statement in response to the President’s comments, which are expected to impact the geopolitical landscape in the region.
As both nations continue to grapple with the fall out from the diplomatic expulsion, president Mohamud’s remarks further compounded the uncertainty surrounding the future trajectory of their diplomatic relations.
In the meantime, President Mohamud celebrates the milestone of completing one year in his second term as the nation’s leader, foreign policy has sparked considerable controversy due to its inherent flaws. Notably, his alignment with the UAE over Turkiye and the lack of impartiality in the Ethiopia-Egypt dispute have been subjects of heated debate.
Furthermore, his recent State Visit to Qatar has brought further attention to his ineptitude as a leader. This was evident when he openly proclaimed a few weeks prior, during a town hall meeting, that the partnership with the UAE was remarkably strong and referred the Emirates as a ‘key’ partner. Such statements have only served to underscore his incompetence.
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