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Rabat – Three U.S. senators have introduced new legislation seeking to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization if evidence confirms cooperation with Iranian-backed groups already listed under U.S. terrorism sanctions.
The proposed measure, titled the Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act of 2026, was introduced by Ted Cruz, alongside Tom Cotton and Rick Scott. The legislation requires the U.S. Secretary of State to assess whether the Polisario Front is cooperating with Iranian-affiliated groups already designated as terrorist organizations.
If such cooperation is confirmed, the bill would initiate the process to list the Polisario Front as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), enabling the United States to impose extensive sanctions.
U.S. senators have introduced new legislation aimed at initiating the process to designate the #Polisario Front as a terrorist organization, contingent on a review of evidence by the U.S. Secretary of State.
The proposed bill backed by multiple lawmakers would, if triggered,… pic.twitter.com/NiiFRyETY6
— Morocco World News (@MoroccoWNews) March 14, 2026
Concerns over Iranian links
Senator Cruz argued that the Iranian government is seeking to expand its influence in the region through the group.
“The Iranian regime is trying to turn the Polisario Front into the Houthis of West Africa and use them to undermine the national security of the United States and our allies,” Cruz said. He further alleged that the group is working with Iranian terrorist organizations, receiving drones from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and facilitating the movement of weapons across the region.
According to Cruz, designating the group would enable the United States to apply stronger counterterrorism sanctions. Such a designation would also restrict the organization and its leaders from accessing the global financial system and international travel.
Senator Cotton also voiced support for the initiative, stating that the Polisario Front has demonstrated alignment with actors hostile to U.S. interests.
“The Polisario Front is a terrorist organization that openly supports Iran and Hezbollah. Designating these terrorists as such is long overdue,” Cotton said.
Senator Scott echoed similar concerns, arguing that the group’s alleged connections with international adversaries require stronger scrutiny.
“The Polisario Front’s ties to adversaries like China, Iran, and Russia, as well as its cooperation with Iranian-backed organizations such as Hezbollah, must be confronted,” Scott said. He added that the legislation aims to provide U.S. authorities with the tools needed to investigate these links and hold those involved accountable.
Under the proposed legislation, the Secretary of State would be required to submit a report assessing potential cooperation between the Polisario Front and Iranian-affiliated groups. The report would examine several areas of alleged collaboration, including armed participation in military operations, transfers of weapons systems, and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
It would also review whether the group has received or shared military intelligence, such as surveillance data, targeting information, signals intelligence, or human intelligence support.
The bill states that if such cooperation is confirmed, the United States could proceed with formal terrorist designation procedures, triggering sanctions designed to limit the group’s financial networks and operational capacity.
