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| Africa North |
| Moroccan authorities concerned over Iranian religious intervention |
| 2009-03-20 |
| Strained relations continued this week between Morocco and Iran, this time over the issue of Shi'ism in Morocco. The kingdom broke diplomatic ties with Iran March 6th over aggressive comments the latter made towards the nation of Bahrain. Minister of Foreign Affairs Taieb Fassi-Fihri said that Moroccan authorities have "recognised activism by [Iranian] authorities, and particularly by its diplomatic representatives in Rabat, aimed at changing fundamental religious values in Morocco, attacking the very foundations of the Moroccan people's ancestral identity, and attempting to threaten the uniqueness of Muslim practices and the Sunni Maliki faith in Morocco". "We were aware of the existence of Shi'ite activism in Morocco," he continued, "but given that relations between the two sides were on an even keel, we did not want to rock the boat." Now that relations between Morocco and Iran have reached their present state, the problem can be addressed in the open, he added. Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa confirmed that Iranians have been proselytising in Morocco since 2004, through various cultural centres and the circulation of a number of publications. Dozens of young Moroccans are now in Iran, studying Shi'ism at that country's expense. Former Iranian Ambassador to Rabat Valid Ahmadi told the press that these students were "small in number" and that there was no need to pay the matter any attention. "It would be pointless to want to change certain constants, such as religious adherence," Ahmadi said, refuting accusations that Iran is actively proselytising. "The accusations about involvement in Moroccan internal affairs are unfounded and we reject them out of hand," confirmed Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Monouchehr Motaki. Moroccan observers have had mixed reactions to the issue. While some have echoed the position taken by officials, others play down the effects of Shi'ism in Morocco, stressing that it is simply a reaction to the recent deterioration in relations between Morocco and Iran. Moroccan MP Abdelbari Zemzemi said he has seen evidence of a Shi'ite movement in Morocco going back a decade or more. "The danger of Shi'ism lies in the division it could create at the heart of the Nation, as is happening in Iraq," Zemzemi said. "Iran's objective is to export its culture throughout the Islamic world and among Muslim expatriates... This can divide societies." Others express a more immediate concern. "There is a section of Shi'ites who call for combat and pay no attention to dialogue," said Hassan Benadir, a specialist in Islamic issues. "That's the real danger, because we have seen a number of cases of Shi'ite terrorists of Maghreb origin." "Amongst others, I could mention the now-disbanded Moroccan terrorist network 'Ansar El Mahdi', which had Shi'ite connotations... As for the Belliraj network, the interior ministry indicated it was in contact with Hezbollah," he added. Despite the current alarm, many think the question of Shi'ism in Morocco is being overstated. Ahmed Ramzi, a specialist in Islamic movements, stressed that the Shi'ite presence in Morocco is still rather marginal, as it is not a structured or organised movement. Political expert Mohamed Darif suggests that Morocco is pushing back, because "relations between Tehran and Algiers are getting stronger and stronger, to the detriment of Moroccan interests, particularly where the Sahara issue is concerned". Ties between Morocco and Iran, never stable, have been severed in the past, such as in 1979 when the Shah was overthrown. Normal relations were not restored until 1991.. |
| Posted by:Fred |