Rabat – The Islamic Republic of Iran is reportedly growing its geostrategic weight in Africa, using Hezbollah to “destabilize North Africa.”According to Spanish newspaper La Provincia, Tehran’s geopolitics in recent months suggest a long-term plan to establish a strategic stronghold in North Africa, a region traditionally allied with Washington on security, especially in the fight against terrorism. “Iran colluding with Polisario to wreak havoc in North Africa,” the newspaper headlined its report, backing Morocco’s claim that Iran is using its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, to train and equip the Polisario Front, the secessionist militia in Western Sahara. Citing a more recent case of senior US lawmakers supporting Morocco in its diplomatic and ideological rift with Iran, La Provincia quoted Congressman Joe Wilson as saying that Iran is known for financially backing “terrorist” groups like Hezbollah and providing them with logistical support. The Spanish newspaper added that, like Congressman Wilson, a number of legislators in Washington think Iran-Hezbollah-Polisario collusion in North Africa is hardly surprising. And while the US’s desire to thwart the Iranian threat in North Africa is primarily grounded in a need to secure America’s strategic interests, the US genuinely believes that Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara is “credible, serious, and realistic,” La Provincia concluded.

Source: The North Africa Journal October 02, 2018 15:56 UTC