To undermine the rapprochement between Rabat and Tehran, Algiers is leveraging the Iranian Parliament. On Monday, November 25, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf met with Ibrahim Azizi, Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's Security and Foreign Policy Commission. «The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the state of fraternal and cooperative relations between the two brotherly countries and to explore ways to activate parliamentary diplomacy to enhance these ties to the highest levels», stated the Ministry. While Algerian diplomacy omitted the Sahara issue in its official communication, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Ibrahim Ghali, emphasized during his meeting with Ibrahim Azizi on Sunday «the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination». These meetings follow a November 20 phone call between Ahmed Attaf and his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi. Algeria is concerned about a potential rapprochement between Rabat and Tehran that could undermine the Polisario. Iran has recognized the «SADR» since February 27, 1980. This Algerian initiative comes in response to ongoing meetings between Moroccan and Iranian security officials, aimed at restoring relations severed on May 1, 2018. Reports indicate that consultations are progressing, with additional rounds planned in the coming days.
