Iran’s Disruptive Influence in Morocco Hinders Diplomatic Restoration, Expert Says

"Iran has played a disruptive and destructive role in Morocco through its embassy, diplomatic headquarters and cultural centers," notes Dr. Mohammed Al-Sulami in an op-ed published by Arab News. He lists the actions taken by Tehran. The academic notably evokes a strategy to spread Shiism in the Maghreb, influence the religious identity of Moroccan society and gain religious and political influence with the aim of expanding its presence and increasing its power, as well as creating a base of support, by converting the loyalty of the people to Tehran to serve its objectives and ambitions.

In 2018, it was revealed that Iran was supplying weapons and training the Polisario Front via the Lebanese Hezbollah. This revelation had prompted Morocco to sever its diplomatic relations with Tehran that same year. "Following this revelation, Morocco decided to cut its diplomatic ties with Iran in the summer of 2018. We all know how sensitive the Western Sahara issue is for the Moroccan people and the country’s leaders, and that this issue is non-negotiable," emphasizes Al-Sulami, adding that Moroccan officials are fully aware of Iran’s desire to strengthen its harmful influence on the Moroccan scene and the detrimental role played by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah in the cross-border arms smuggling to conflict zones in Africa.

Since then, the academic recalls, Morocco has tried to regulate Iran’s behavior towards it by concluding memoranda of understanding to strengthen bilateral cooperation and coordination, mutual respect for sovereignty, maintenance of territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of the other. Despite these agreements, Iran has however continued its hostile actions. According to him, Tehran has failed to seize a long series of opportunities that were available to it to normalize its relations with Rabat. "Through its own destructive acts and behaviors, Tehran continues to reinforce negative perceptions and impressions," analyzes Mohammed Al-Sulami.

And he concludes: "Morocco, which has long suffered, is just one of many African, Arab and Islamic countries that now insist that they will not open the door to any normalization of relations with Iran unless Tehran makes substantial changes to its policies and patterns of foreign relations."