Iran says U.S.-brokered Sudan-Israel deal secured by 'ransom'

FILE PHOTO: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House senior advisor Jared Kushner applaud as U.S. President Donald Trump is seen on the phone with leaders of Israel and Sudan speaking about the decision to rescind Sudan's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 23, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

(Reuters) - Iran's foreign ministry on Saturday described a U.S.-brokered Sudan-Israel deal to normalise ties as "phoney" and accused Khartoum of paying a ransom in return for Washington removing it from a list of state sponsors of terrorism.

The deal agreed on Friday marked the third Arab government after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to set aside hostilities with Israel in the last two months.