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To help solve the gulf countries' crisis, Morocco sheds light on Iran's threat

Morocco is trying to convince Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain that Qatar shouldn’t be their enemy. For that sake, a second communiqué was issued yesterday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation referring to Iran as the real threat in the region that attempts to «undermine the supreme interests of these countries».

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Trying to help with the solving of the Qatar crisis, Morocco which is considered to be a close ally of the Gulf countries is shedding light on Iran as a real threat for the region. Tehran has been one of the major topics of the statement released on Monday 12th  of June by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The communiqué that was published right after the one announcing that the kingdom would offer food to the Gulf country, the emirate that lives an air, sea and road blockade decreed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

The press release calls Morocco’s allies in Ryad, Abu Dhabi and Manama to be aware of «some non-Arab parties that are trying to take advantageof this crisis to strengthen their position in the region and undermine the supreme interests of these countries». A reference that makes us immediately think of Iran and exclude Turkey.

The enemy is Iran and not Qatar

To avoid ambiguity, the communiqué recalls some humanitarian steps taken by Morocco «for the favor of sister countries, since Gulf war» as opposed to Irak and Iran (from September 22nd in 1980 to 20th of August 1988). For the record, during the Arab Summit organized in Fes in 1982, King Hassan II played a decisive role in convincing the Gulf monarchies to financially and politically support Saddam Hussein in his war against Rouhollah Khomeini.

The kingdom also insists that it has always shown «support for the sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates over its three islands», Abu Musa, and the islands of the Greater Tunb occupied by Iran since the British withdrawal in 1971. The communiqué recalls the support of Rabat to its allies through «cutting diplomatic ties with Iran, in solidarity with the Kingdom of Bahrain» since March 2009. Without forgetting «participation in the Arab coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen».

Since the diplomatic crisis broke off in the region, Tehran has been supporting Qatar. The country intends to supply food products to Doha and to sign political and military agreements with Qatar like those signed with Turkey.

A few hours after the release of this communiqué, the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates received Nasser Bourita who carried a verbal message from King Mohammed VI.