Morocco has severed ties with Iran over alleged ties between Hezbollah and a separatist group in Western Sahara.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita confirmed that the north African country will close its embassy in Tehran and ask the Iranian ambassador to leave their country.

“This move was due to the engagement of the Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah in a relationship with the Polisario Front, which threatens the security and stability of the country.”

Occupied by Spain until 1975, Western Sahara, which is a large territory in southern Morocco, has remained the subject of a dispute between the country and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front for more than four decades.