EXCLUSIVE: From Tigray to Tehran: Ethiopia Bets on Iran as New Security Ally

Ethiopia and Iran signed a major security and intelligence cooperation agreement on May 6, 2025, marking a strategic alignment between the Horn of Africa nation and Tehran.

The memorandum of understanding includes joint action against cross-border crime, intelligence sharing, and military training. It signals a renewed phase in bilateral relations after Tehran’s earlier retreat from Sub-Saharan Africa under President Rouhani.

This pact comes on the heels of drone and military aid Iran provided to Ethiopia during the Tigray War (2020–2022), and also amid Iran’s ongoing support to Sudan’s national army in its civil war—opposing the UAE-backed RSF paramilitaries.

Ethiopia’s Calculated Pragmatism

Addis Ababa’s decision to work with both Iran and its regional rival, the UAE, reflects a pragmatic, survivalist foreign policy. While the UAE remains one of Ethiopia’s top trading partners and a recent security interlocutor, Ethiopia has now embraced Tehran’s assistance to suppress internal ethnic insurgencies.

The timing is critical: ethnic militias like the TPLF and Amhara Fano remain armed and hostile, while unrest grows among the Oromo population. Additionally, Ethiopia’s growing tensions with Eritrea and efforts to secure a Red Sea outlet through Somaliland put it at odds with regional dynamics.

Regional Power Contest

For Iran, the deal restores its foothold in the Horn after a decade of marginalization. With Saudi-UAE pressure limiting its Red Sea access, Ethiopia emerges as a strategic partner. The pact also challenges the UAE’s dominance in the region, especially in light of the ongoing Sudan conflict.

This unlikely Ethiopia–Iran alignment may reshape the Horn’s security calculus, showcasing how embattled states maneuver between regional rivals to secure their survival.