Commanding the faithful: the Kingdom of Morocco’s relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study analyses the Kingdom of Morocco’s relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, focusing on Morocco’s decision to sever ties with Iran in 2009. It sheds light on the dynamics that drive Morocco’s foreign policy and highlights the importance of domestic political considerations in shaping foreign policy and the close connections in the view of the Moroccan regime between Islam and security. The assessment is driven by a critical and source-driven analysis of Moroccan policies and perspectives. It is based on evidence obtained during fieldwork conducted in Morocco, including in-person interviews with top Moroccan foreign-policy makers; on analysis of English, Arabic, and Persian primary sources, including news reports, official statements, and U.S. diplomatic cables; and on insights derived from the historical, empirical, and theoretical literature on subjects pertaining to foreign policy, Islam, and regime legitimacy. That examination reveals, and this study argues, that Morocco’s decision to rupture relations with Iran in 2009 and its foreign policy regarding Iran more broadly were driven by two key concerns: (1) Morocco’s position in relation to the prevailing strategic dynamics of the Middle East, particularly apprehension over Iran’s growing role in the region, the mobilisation of Arab monarchies into a coalition to counter Iranian influence, and the implications of a close alliance with the United States; and (2) the paramount goal of Morocco’s domestic policy, that of maintaining monarchical authority and legitimacy, and the king’s reliance on a particular interpretation of Islam and his role as Commander of the Faithful in pursuit thereof.