Two U.S. lawmakers have introduced bipartisan legislation that would require the U.S. government to investigate alleged ties between the Polisario Front and Iran, potentially leading to sanctions and the group’s designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization if the allegations are substantiated.
The Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act was introduced by Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey and Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas.
The bill would require the U.S. secretary of state to investigate whether the Polisario Front has cooperated militarily or in security matters with Iran or Iranian-backed organizations designated as terrorist groups.
Under the proposed legislation, the State Department would submit an initial report to Congress within 90 days of the law taking effect, followed by annual reports. The first report would examine alleged cooperation over the previous decade.
If the secretary of state determines that such cooperation occurred, the president would have 30 days to impose sanctions, including designating the Polisario Front as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under U.S. law and applying sanctions available against foreign terrorist organizations.
Rather than focusing on the group’s political activities, the bill directs the State Department to examine specific forms of alleged cooperation. These include the receipt or transfer of military support, weapons systems, drones and drone components, air defense systems, and military intelligence.
The legislation defines military intelligence as including surveillance data, targeting information, and analysis derived from that information.
Gottheimer said the bill responds to what he described as growing cooperation between Iran, its proxies, and the Polisario Front.
“When a group takes drones and weapons from the IRGC and coordinates with Iranian-backed terrorists, we should call it exactly what it is: a terrorist organization,” he said, referring to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The proposal has received support from the advocacy organization FDD Action.
Tyler Stapleton, the group’s senior director, said FDD Action supports designating the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization. He alleged that members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah have armed and trained the group.
The bill would also require U.S. authorities to investigate alleged weapons transfers and the use of armed drones against civilian targets.
If the allegations are confirmed, the proposed legislation could have significant legal consequences. A Foreign Terrorist Organization designation would restrict financial dealings with the Polisario Front, criminalize the provision of material support under U.S. law, and allow U.S. authorities to freeze assets and block transactions involving designated individuals or entities.
The bill does not immediately designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization. Instead, it establishes a process requiring the U.S. government to investigate the allegations and determine whether they meet the legal threshold for sanctions.
The legislation must still advance through Congress before it can become law. It has been referred to a House committee and would need approval by both the House of Representatives and the Senate before being sent to the president for signature.
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