Jason Dov Greenblatt, a former adviser to US President Donald Trump, has warned that the Polisario Front represents what he described as a “growing threat” in North Africa, arguing that it operates as an Iranian proxy in the region.
Writing in an opinion piece published on the Semafor website, Greenblatt said Tehran’s influence is expanding beyond the Middle East at a time when international attention is focused on direct tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
The former US official cautioned that ignoring this Iranian footprint in North Africa “would be a serious mistake”, warning against repeating scenarios seen in other regions as a result of Tehran’s proxy-based strategy.
He said Iran has, for decades, relied on supporting non-state armed groups beyond its borders, providing them with training, funding and ideological guidance to expand its influence without engaging in direct conflict.
According to Greenblatt, this strategy has produced “devastating” outcomes in Lebanon, Yemen and Gaza, where local groups evolved into powerful military actors that threaten regional stability.
He argued that the same pattern is now emerging in North Africa, pointing to the growing role of the Polisario Front in the Western Sahara dispute.
Greenblatt added that the group’s activities cannot be separated from the support it receives, referring to repeated Moroccan accusations that Iran and Hezbollah have provided military and logistical backing to Polisario fighters.
While noting that the United States does not designate the Polisario Front as a foreign terrorist organisation, he said this “does not eliminate the strategic risk” linked to its actions and external ties.
He cited the example of Hezbollah in Lebanon, which was long treated as a political actor before becoming a dominant force within the state, as well as Yemen’s Houthi movement, which now poses a threat to global shipping.
Greenblatt said Iran’s ties with the Polisario give Tehran a foothold in North Africa and a means to pressure Morocco, which he described as “one of Washington’s most reliable partners” in the region.
He added that cooperation between Rabat and Washington spans multiple areas, including counterterrorism and broader regional security, meaning any destabilisation of Morocco would have wider implications.
The former adviser also recalled that the United States recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2020, a move that strengthened bilateral ties and reinforced a strategic partnership.
He linked that decision to Morocco’s normalisation of relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords, describing it as part of broader regional shifts.
Greenblatt concluded by warning that the international community had previously ignored Iran’s proxy activities in other regions, leading to prolonged crises, and urged that the same “mistake” should not be repeated in North Africa.
