Iran has strongly condemned Israel’s reported decision to appoint an ambassador to Somaliland, a break-away region that Somalia considers an integral part of its sovereign territory.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei described the move as a “flagrant violation” of international law and a direct challenge to Somalia’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
“Such arbitrary action is in clear contradiction with the UN Charter and international law,” Baghaei said on Monday, warning that the step could deepen divisions and instability across the region.
Baghaei accused Israel of pursuing policies that risk fueling tensions in the Horn of Africa and beyond.
He said the move reflects a broader pattern of interference that could “destabilize Islamic countries and sow division among regional states.”
Israel recently named its first ambassador to Somaliland, signaling plans to expand diplomatic engagement to the region which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but remains unrecognized by the international community, including the United Nations.
The Somali federal government has consistently rejected any foreign recognition or engagement with Somaliland as a sovereign entity. Mogadishu has repeatedly condemned such moves as violations of its territorial integrity, reiterating that Somaliland remains part of Somalia.
Somaliland has operated as a de facto autonomous region since its 1991 declaration of independence, maintaining its own administrative institutions, political system, and security structures.
The federal government in Mogadishu continues to regard Somaliland as an integral part of Somalia and has consistently opposed any direct engagement between foreign governments and the region, warning that such actions undermine Somalia’s unity and contravene international law.
Saudi Arabia and several Arab and Muslim-majority countries also condemned Israel’s reported step.
In a joint statement issued on Saturday, foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Bangladesh, Algeria, Palestine, Türkiye, Indonesia, Pakistan, Kuwait, Mauritania, Jordan, Oman, Lebanon, and Yemen described the move as “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Somalia.”
Regional organizations, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the African Union, have also issued statements rejecting the move.
In a separate response, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, strongly condemned the reported appointment, calling it a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and a move that undermines established principles of international legitimacy.
Baghaei called on international bodies to take action against what he described as “lawlessness, expansionism, and interference” in the internal affairs of states, stressing the responsibility of the international community to uphold Somalia’s sovereignty and prevent further regional instability.
