Despite the geographical distance, the Algerian military regime and the clerical power in Iran, both anti-Semitic and anti-Israel, have shown increasing political proximity over the past several years.
The possibility of Iran, a terrorist state, being weakened by the U.S. armed forces under President Donald Trump raises questions about the potential consequences for Algeria, North Africa, and the Sahel.
For years, bilateral ties have remained secretive, involving diplomatic cooperation, intelligence exchanges, and support for terrorist organizations: Hamas, the Houthis, the Lebanese Hezbollah, ISIS, Al-Qaeda in Africa, as well as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
According to analysts, a rapprochement is increasingly visible between the two capitals: a clear opposition to Western interventionist policies, defense of a multipolar international order, consistent support for the so-called Palestinian cause, and rejection of normalization dynamics between certain Arab states and Israel.
In international forums, Algiers and Tehran regularly align on similar diplomatic lines. This convergence is not exclusive, but it fuels the perception of an ideological, anti-Semitic strategic rapprochement.
The question of deeper military or security cooperation is the subject of numerous reports by Western intelligence services. Some states accuse Iran of seeking to extend its influence in North Africa and the Sahel, while Algeria denies any involvement in external military axes.
Algeria and Iran are among the states most steadfast in their opposition to normalization with Israel. Their official discourse follows a logic of state anti-Zionism and support for Palestinian terrorists.
If the Iranian regime were to be seriously weakened by the United States, with internal upheavals, the consequences for Algeria would be real.
The Algerian dictatorship would lose an active partner in contesting the international order dominated by Western powers. This would reduce the collective weight of this current in multilateral forums.
At the regional level, a decline in Iranian influence would accelerate shifts in the Middle East and strengthen states engaged in rapprochement dynamics with Israel. Algeria would then appear as one of the last Arab actors maintaining a hardline stance, with the risk of increased isolation.