On Aug. 24, Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra announced his country was severing diplomatic relations with Morocco. At first look, the Algerian decision seemed to be independent and a direct result of problematic ties that have deteriorated over the years. But it was Lamamra himself who offered a broader context, partly accusing Israel of cooperating with Morocco against Algeria. Among other things, Lamamra was angry over a statement made by Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on his Aug. 12 visit to Morocco. Speaking at a press conference in Casablanca, Lapid said he shared with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, “some concern about the role of the Algerian state in the region, which has drawn closer to Iran and is currently campaigning against Israel’s admission to the African Union as an observer.’’
Thus, this development of severing ties could be inspected beyond the Israel-Morocco-Algeria triangle. Traditionally, Iran sees the African continent as an important arena in its global struggle for influence. It is competing for influence against Saudi Arabia and also against the West, exploiting anti-colonial sentiments in the continent. To establish influence in Africa, Iran had created over the years an infrastructure of mosques, cultural centers, charitable networks and educational institutions. These were used to spread its revolutionary ethos across the continent.
