The United States could cut the Polisario off from banking and travel
A bipartisan bill introduced in Washington provides for designating the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization if its alleged cooperation with Iran or its allies is confirmed. Its assets could then be frozen and its leaders subjected to financial and travel restrictions.
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Republican Ronny Jackson and Democrat Josh Gottheimer. It asks the US secretary of state to examine the ties that the Polisario is alleged to have maintained over the past ten years with Iran, Hezbollah or other organizations supported by Tehran.
On Bladi.net : article 122449
The investigation should notably seek evidence of possible transfers of weapons, drones, anti-aircraft systems or military intelligence, or joint participation in armed operations.
If such cooperation were established, the bill would pave the way for designating the Polisario as a foreign terrorist organization and as a terrorist entity subject to US sanctions.
Frozen assets and prohibited transactions
Such a designation would make it possible to block the movement’s assets falling under US jurisdiction and prohibit certain financial transactions. Its officials could also be further isolated from the banking system and subjected to travel restrictions.
Josh Gottheimer says the measure would make it possible to cut the Polisario’s leaders off “from the global financial system, international travel and the resources” at their disposal, reports the US Congress.
Individuals or companies providing material or financial support to an organization so designated could also face sanctions in the United States.
The measure could complicate financial or material relations with the Polisario’s supporters, including Algeria, without Algeria itself being directly targeted by the bill.
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The designation is nevertheless neither immediate nor guaranteed. The bill must first be adopted by Congress and enacted. The US administration would then have to confirm the existence of cooperation between the Polisario and an organization affiliated with Iran before initiating the process.