Senate Republicans Move to Label Polisario Front a Terrorist Organization

A trio of senators introduced legislation that could add a new name to the United States' list of designated terrorist organizations, citing what they describe as a growing and dangerous alliance between a North African separatist group and Iran. That separatist group is the Polisario Front.

Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Rick Scott (R-FL) unveiled the Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act, which would require the Secretary of State to formally designate the Polisario Front as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist if an investigation confirms the group is actively cooperating with Iranian-linked terrorist organizations.

The bill arrives as the United States' conflict with Iran enters its third week, a period that has intensified congressional scrutiny of Iran's network of allied and proxy groups across the globe. Lawmakers on both sides have been pressing for a fuller accounting of which organizations maintain operational ties to Tehran, and the Polisario Front has now landed squarely in that conversation.

The bill does not make the designation automatic. Instead, it triggers a review process in which the Secretary of State would be required to submit a report examining whether the Polisario Front has engaged in military cooperation with Iranian-affiliated groups.

That review would look at a range of potential ties, including joint participation in armed operations, weapons transfers, the sharing of drone technology, and the exchange of military intelligence.

How the Senators Frame This

Sen. Cruz framed the Polisario Front as part of a broader Iranian strategy to extend its influence across new regions. He argued the group has been receiving drones from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and moving weapons throughout the area on Tehran's behalf, a dynamic he compared to Iran's relationship with the Houthis in Yemen.

Should a designation go through, Cruz said, it would cut the group off from the global financial system and restrict its leadership's ability to travel and access outside resources.

Sen. Cotton then emphasized, “Designating these terrorists as such is long overdue.”

“The United States doesn’t negotiate with terrorists,” Sen. Scott said. He then characterized the Polisario Front's web of connections to U.S. adversaries, including China and Russia, and said the legislation gives American authorities the tools needed to hold those involved accountable.

The Polisario Front, which has long sought independence for Western Sahara, has not been previously designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. The bill now heads to committee, where its prospects remain uncertain.