Cutting ties with Iran : Algeria summons the Moroccan ambassador to clarify its stance

Obviously, the Moroccan decision to sever diplomatic relations with Iran is bothering the Algerian authorities.

Wednesday afternoon, Morocco’s ambassador to Algiers, Lahcen Abdelkhalek, was received by the Secretary-General of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The ambassador was informed about «the Algerian authorities' rejection to the unfounded accusations indirectly holding Algeria responsible for the current crisis between Rabat and Tehran», announced the spokesman for the Algerian Foreign Ministry, speaking to APS.

Algeria as a complicit

Algeria’s reaction comes as Rabat stated in a communiqué that it «understands Algeria's embarrassment, its need to express its solidarity with its allies of Hezbollah, Iran and the polisario, as well as its attempt to deny its hidden role in this action against the Kingdom's national security».

The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry assured that it has precise data, tangible evidence, regarding Hezbollah's political, media and military support for the Polisario, in connivance with Iran. «Moroccan authorities took the necessary time to study all these elements carefully before making their decision, in full responsibility», argued the department.

Despite this, the Kingdom remains committed to the «preservation of strong ties with the brotherly Algerian people and will continue to work to see bilateral relations evolve, on the basis of good neighborliness and mutual respect», added the same source.

The Algerian Foreign Affairs Ministry summoned Lahcen Abdelkhalek only a few hours after the Iranian Embassy in Algiers issued a statement rejecting Rabat’s accusations targeting the Hezbollah organization.

For the record, in the person its Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, Rabat announced on Tuesday 1st of May that it is cutting diplomatic relations with Iran. The Minister argued that the Persian country, known for being a huge supporter of Hezbollah, has been involved in a weapons delivery to the Polisario Front movement.

While, Hezbollah, Iran and the Polisario denounced the accusations, several other Arab countries backed the Moroccan decision, namely Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, and Jordan.