Morocco king 'ends ambassador missions' in Algeria, Iran: report

Morocco's king officially ended the duties of his country's ambassador to Algeria last month, reports revealed Tuesday, which came amid worsening ties between the neighbouring North African states.

Ambassador Hassan Abdel-Khaleq returned with a Moroccan diplomatic delegation to Morocco, three days after Algeria ceased diplomatic ties with Rabat in August.

Algiers accuses Rabat of hostile actions, and both are locked in a dispute over the Western Sahara region and Morocco's ties with Israel.

Abdel-Khaleq’s duties were terminated at the orders of King Mohammed VI with the decision going into force on 14 December, according to the government's Official Bulletin late last month but which was only reported by local outlets on Tuesday.

The king also ended the duties of his country's ambassador to Iran, Hassan Hami, in the same December decree.

Morocco cut off ties with Tehran back in May 2018, after accusing it of supporting the separatist Polisario Front movement in Western Sahara.

It had also made the claim that the Lebanon-based Hezbollah paramilitary group – backed by Iran – was involved in the conflict, aiding the Polisario through the Iranian embassy in Rabat.