Former French counter-intelligence operative Matthieu Ghadiri has offered a new account of what he describes as an Iran-Hezbollah-Polisario network, portraying the Algeria-backed Polisario separatists as an extension of Tehran’s regional proxy strategy.
In an interview published by Le360, Ghadiri said Iran has used Lebanon’s Hezbollah as an intermediary to build ties with the Polisario, providing training and military expertise while maintaining distance from the movement.
The relationship involves more than political solidarity, pointing to alleged training in drones, rockets, communications and other military capabilities, he said.
Ghadiri’s central contribution is to frame the relationship as a chain of influence according to which Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its Quds Force provide strategic direction and resources, while Hezbollah serves as an operational bridge and the Polisario provides Tehran with a foothold in North Africa and potentially the wider Sahel.
He also argues that Algeria remains essential to the arrangement by controlling the Polisario’s access and territory.
The statements echo the reason Morocco gave in 2018 for severing diplomatic relations with Iran. Rabat said at the time that Tehran had provided financial and logistical support to the Polisario through Hezbollah.
The Iran-Polisario connection is receiving increased attention in Washington. Both House of Representatives and the Senate are pushing for a bill to classify the Polisario as a terrorist organization.
