Senegal recalls its ambassador from Tehran

Source: The Financial Times

Senegal has recalled its ambassador from Tehran to register dissatisfaction with Iran’s explanation of an arms scandal. It is a setback for the Islamic republic’s efforts to deepen ties with African states.
The move came after Iran sacked Manouchehr Mottaki, its foreign minister, on Monday. At the time, Mr Mottaki was in Senegal, in part to explain a Nigerian seizure in October of an Iranian consignment of rockets and explosives hidden in a container of building materials. Nigerian authorities later intercepted a second container from Iran carrying heroin.

Last month the weapons scandal led Gambia, Senegal’s neighbour, to sever ties with Iran. Nigeria suspected the weapons were being sent to Banjul, Gambia’s capital, and reported the seizures to the UN. The shipments could be in breach of UN Security Council resolutions over Iran’s nuclear programme.

Nigeria has charged a member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards with arms trafficking.