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Rabat – The Mauritania Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Iranian Ambassador Mohamed Omrany to condemn the activities of “Majmaah Imam Ali,” an association linked to the embassy.
Mauritanian news source Sahara Media reported Tuesday that Mauritania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Isselkou Ould Ahmed Izidbih informed the Iranian ambassador that the country “will no longer accept any activity by the embassy or its affiliates to change the doctrine or creed of Mauritanian society.’
According to Sahara Media’s diplomatic sources, Mauritania informed the ambassador that they had taken a number of measures to “prevent any activity to spread Shiite ideology in the country.”
Among the measures taken was the sacking of the imam in Majmaah Imam Ali and appointing a new imam.
Sahara Media reported that its sources claimed that they have warned Iran to stop such activities, which threaten the “unity and faith of the society.”
The source added that the country has cracked down on political parties and bodies linked to Iran and its proxy Hezbollah and has banned all activities supporting the party in Mauritanian of territory.
The news source claimed that the country has “minimized its diplomatic representation in Tehran for several years” due to Iranian interference in Arab countries’ domestic affairs.
Iran, however, has denied the allegations, indicating that the news is “rumors spread by Saudi Arabia,” according to Iranian official press agency Fars News.
The news agency added that diplomatic ties between Iran and Mauritania are “normal.” Iran also denied that its ambassador was summoned, claiming that the official was received on May 29 by the Mauritanian minister to convey a letter on the “US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal” and “developments in the region.”
Fars News added that both officials have discussed ways to straighten ties between the two states.
Sahara Media, however, said that the Iranian ambassador was summoned on May 25.
The developments came on the heel of Morocco’s decision to cut ties with Iran May 1. Morocco made the decision after discovering links between the Polisario Front and Iranian proxy Hezbollah. Morocco accused Hezbollah of training the Polisario Front in the Tindouf camps in Algeria and of providing them with military equipment.
Morocco announced that it backed its decision with documented evidence that proves links between Polisario and Hezbollah. Iran, Hezbollah, and the Algerian-backed separatist group, Polisario, have all denied the allegations.
Iran has also denied that Morocco presented any proof that demonstrates the Polisario and Hezbollah collusion.
