Iran–Libya relations

Iran and Libya have diplomatic relations, with embassies in each other's countries. Economic, military, and cultural relations between the two countries have varied throughout time. Ties between the two nations date back thousands of years, with the origins of the Persian Empire beginning in the modern day state of Iran and the modern day Libyan state once being an essential part of the Roman Empire.

Iran and Libya relations
Map indicating locations of Iran and Libya

Iran
Libya

Pahlavi government

Modern Iranian-Libyan relations began in the 1960s with King Idris reigning in Libya and Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi reigning in Iran. Tension began between the two nations following the rise of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. Gaddafi, along with other Arab leaders, accused the Shah of betraying his Arab neighbors’ interests and supporting Israel.[1][2]

After the Iranian revolution

Before the Libyan revolution

The Iranian Revolution of 1979 resulted in the overthrow of the Shah and the improvement of Iranian-Libyan relations.[1] The turning point in Iran–Libya relations came during the Iran–Iraq War, when Libya came to Iran's aid despite Western pressure to keep Iran isolated. During the war Libya and Syria were Iran's only Middle Eastern allies.[3][4][5]

Relations, however, were strained when Musa al-Sadr, a leading Lebanese cleric (born in Iran) of Shia Islam branch, disappeared in Libya. This had forced the Iranian government since 1979 to sometimes distance itself from the Libyan regime.[6]

Iranian-Libyan cooperation during the 1990s led to the construction of factories, roads, and hospitals in both Libya and Iran. Gaddafi would even visit then Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei. At the UN Security Council, Gaddafi vindicated Iran's nuclear program and opposed western sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

After the Libyan revolution
Iran-Libyan Arab Jamahiriya relations

Iran
Libya

Iran supported the 2011 uprising against the Libyan government, describing it as an "Islamic awakening" and condemning the government crackdown.[7] The Libyan ambassador to Iran later resigned due to the Arab Spring protests in his home country.[8] Following the overthrow of Gaddafi, Iran recognized the new Libyan transitional government. Iran's ambassador would soon return to the newly formed Arab Republic of Libya.

See also

References
  1. Zephyr, Alexander (13 November 2014). Psalm 83: A New Discovery. iUniverse (November 13, 2014). ISBN 978-1491750742.
  2. Zonis, Marvin Majestic Failure The Fall of the Shah, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991 page 199.
  3. SCIOLINO, ELAINE (25 November 1986). "IRAN, IN 6-YEAR SEARCH FOR ARMS, FINDS WORLD OF WILLING SUPPLIERS". The New York Times.
  4. ELLEMAN, MICHAEL (22 September 2016). "North Korea-Iran Missile Cooperation".
  5. Alexander, Cordesman, Alexander, Anthony H. (2011). Iran and the Gulf Military Balance. Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. "Who Killed Musa Sadr?". 26 September 2019.
  7. "Iran Backs Libyan Rebels, Chastises West Over Oil, Bahrain". PBS. 6 April 2011.
  8. "Libyan Ambassador to Iran resigns".
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