Morocco-Iran relations: a history of diplomatic fluctuations

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Morocco and Iran have experienced a turbulent diplomatic history marked by periods of engagement and estrangement. In March 1999, Morocco hosted a visit by former Iranian Parliament Deputy Hassan Rouhani, followed in November by then-Speaker of Parliament Ali Akbar Nategh-Nuri.

The thaw in relations began gradually after the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989 and the end of the Iran-Iraq War. Iranian diplomats reached out to Rabat, emphasizing a shared religious heritage. Formal diplomatic relations were restored in 1991 during the OIC summit in Dakar. Despite these steps, mutual trust remained fragile.

Under HM King Mohammed VI, Morocco pursued a cautious approach toward Tehran. Prime Minister Abderrahman Youssoufi visited Iran in 2001, and relations improved tentatively over the next decade.

However, tensions resurfaced in 2009 when an Iranian official referred to Bahrain as “the fourteenth Iranian province,” and Moroccan authorities discovered efforts by Iran to promote Shiism within the kingdom. This was seen as a serious threat to Morocco’s religious identity. A brief reconciliation occurred following the 2015 nuclear deal, but the improvement was short-lived.