Morocco Severs Ties With Iran Over Support For West Sahara Polisario Front
By Arab News
Morocco will sever ties with Iran over Tehran’s support for the Western Sahara independence Polisario front, the Moroccan foreign minister said on Tuesday.
Morocco will close its embassy in Tehran and will expel the Iranian ambassador in Rabat, Nasser Bourita told reporters. Al Arabiya News channel reported that Morocco is severing ties with Iran as the Lebanese militia Hezbollah have been training polisario militants. Morocco stated that Iran’s Lebanese ally Hezbollah has been involved in the delivery of weapons from Iran to the Polisario Front, Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said Tuesday.
He told reporters that “a first shipment of weapons was recently” sent to the Algerian-backed Polisario Front, which is seeking independence, via an “element” at the Iranian embassy in Algiers.
Several countries have expressed solidarity with Morocco over breaking up its relation with Iran. Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Bahrain were quick to express their support to Rabat’s move.
A source at the Saudi Arabian foreign ministry said that Riyadh condemns all interference in Moroccan affairs, and supports the steps taken by Rabat against Iran.
The Saudi Arabian source added that Hezbollah militia training of Polisario militants aims to destabilze Morrocco and threaten its security.
