Relationship dossier
Iran
Western Sahara
Relationship assessment
Iranian recognition of Sahrawi statehood shapes the relationship; details of direct cooperation remain unclear.
Iran toward Western Sahara
+15Iran has recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, supporting Sahrawi claims to statehood. The extent of further direct bilateral cooperation is unclear.
Western Sahara toward Iran
Not assessedOverall relationship
Not assessedHow to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Iran has recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, giving its policy toward Western Sahara a concrete basis in support for Sahrawi statehood. The scope of subsequent direct government cooperation is unclear. Information about the Sahrawi authorities’ government policy toward Iran is insufficient to assess it.
Key developments
Iran recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and continuity of Iran’s diplomatic engagement with the Sahrawi authorities are unclear.
- Details of the Sahrawi authorities’ bilateral cooperation with Iran are limited.