1. Iraqi protesters demand MKO expulsion
2. MKO terrorists clearly connected to CIA and MOSSAD
3. MKO Terrorists Attack Iraqi Tribal Leaders, Reporters
4. With “ENGAGEMENT” failing, Washington voices urge Obama to Embrace the MEK and remove its terrorist designation
5. Beeman–Mojaheddin-e Khalq (MEK) Can Never Rule Iran
6. State Dept: Mojahedin Khalq backers claims not true
7. On ‘Material Support’ And The MKO
Download Pars Brief – Issue No.57
Download Pars Brief – Issue No.57
The West used to support notorious killers—Saddam Hussein and the Taliban—because they had the same enemy. And now, in an attempt to disrupt Iran, the West is befriending and supporting the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MKO). The West should learn from their disastrous 
experiences. The Arabic proverb "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" offers a seemingly innocuous short term logic which the US and Europe has bought into—but banding together with militant radicals to demolish a common enemy doesn’t work. And the West simply doesn’t get it. What’s distressing is that while US legislators are supporting the MKO, the MKO has been clashing with the US-backed Iraqi forces. [1] The MKO is no friend.
The West has seen its fair share of backfires. In the case of Saddam Hussein, Matthew Partridge of The Guardian asserts that "the decision by the US and UK to permit arms sales to Saddam Hussein ended with the promotion of the notorious Baath regime and enabled Saddam to subsequently invade Kuwait."[2] (This decision also strengthened Saddam enough to be able to fully arm the MKO.) He also points out that in WWII Anglo-American support for the Soviet war effort led to victory on the Eastern front, which led to the fall of Hitler but the rise of Soviet power, which later turned out to be a diplomatic nightmare for the US. Partridge explains that “US support for anti-Soviet forces in Afghanistan during the 1980’s was one of the decisive factors behind the unraveling iron curtain." [3] But even though US support lifted the iron curtain, it also led to the rise of the Taliban and Al-Qaida. Partridge emphasizes that similar “diplomatic overtures to the Taliban in the late 1990’s not only failed to detach [the Taliban] from Al-Qaida, but it meant that the Clinton administration largely stood by while they brutally repressed the Afghan population.” [4] It was not enough for Partridge to call attention to these disastrous attempts at maintaining US power and control abroad. He also warns that there is a bad relationship forming, which is gearing up to go head to head with Iran; Partridge cautions that the former mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani, and the former advisor of homeland security, Tom Ridge are lending their support to the MKO, even though the MKO is a designated terrorist group, as outlined by the Department of State. Partridge writes that “their suggestion that [MKO] be both tolerated and supported is wrong."[5]
Andrew Belonsky a human rights blogger and journalist recently wrote an article about the MKO and their American supporters for Death and Taxes. In his critique he stresses that “most Republicans would do anything to take down Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Iranian regime. And for Rudy Giuliani and Sarah Palin, that means embracing a ‘terrorist group’ and Wikileaks, respectively. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, yes, but the only winner here remains Iran.” [6] Belonsky furthers that the “regime’s defiance proves so tenacious and irksome, Western leaders end up grasping at straws, leaving Ahmadinejad to laugh as his enemies squabble among themselves, aware that he has them backed into a corner, clearly so desperate that they’re willing to erode their own positions simply to destroy him.” [7] Belonsky says that "those who support the [MKO] simply want the group to launch a proxy war against Iran, yet haven’t considered the potentially dangerous consequences." [8]
The leaders of the MKO are thrilled to have new support and they will embrace any relationship which gets them closer to their ambition to take over the Iranian government, which has been their aim since the early years of the movement. In the early 1970’s, in a desperate attempt to gain recognition for their movement, they disturbed peace and began a more aggressive retaliation campaign against the government. In order to strengthen their small movement they made a decision to take up arms. It was then that they connected with the Palestinian Liberation Organization, who trained them in terrorist activities. As they reinforced their cause, with PLO support, they targeted Iranian civilians and officials for assassination. They also targeted American civilians, contractors and military personnel. A number of these assassination attempts were successful, and are well documented by the US intelligence. Despite their terror, they gained no ground, and that is when the MKO’s opportunistic nature kicked in. When an Iranian majority began supporting the Ayatollah Khomeini, there was a massive movement against the Shah. The MKO decided to join the movement in an attempt to influence it enough to gain political standing, but their attempt failed. After the Islamic revolution and the takeover of the US Embassy in 1979, when the MKO realized they couldn’t find a part in the Islamic Republic’s ruling system, they clashed with the government and began their terror campaign once again. When they realized their effort would be unsuccessful they began an official “armed struggle” and started to assassinate Iranian civilians who supported Ayatollah Khomeini. This of course resulted in Khomeini turning against the MKO. Many of the MKO went into hiding, others fled the country. Leaders sought support overseas. The Iranian government identified the MKO as a terrorist cult and a major threat to civilians and their terrorist activities against Iran and Iranian citizens are well-documented around the world. And now the MKO is partnering up with those who hate Iran’s influence in the Middle East. It’s clear that the MKO is on no one’s side—only their own.
In late 2010 when the Iranian nuclear scientist Dr. Majid Shahriari was assassinated in his car, RichardSilverstein.com published an article titled "Mossad and Mujahedin–e-Khalq Partners in Assassination Campaign." [9] Silverstein unveiled how the MKO was the Mossads’ operational hand in Iran and writes that “the assassination campaign would indicate a ratcheting up of the relationship between Mossad and MEK. Instead of being satisfied with passing on bogus intelligence to the U.S. in hopes of fomenting a military strike against Iran, Israel is now using the MEK to execute high-value targets within the regime.” [10] The blogger furthers that “what is ironic about these marriages of convenience is that they so often blow up in the faces of those who devise them (cf. Reagan era support for the Afghan Mujahadeen which morphed into the Taliban). No doubt, Israel would be delighted if the [MKO] overthrew the Iranian regime as a number of powerful neocons have advocated.”
But would an [MKO] dictatorship be any friendlier to Israel than the mullahs?”
And does the Mossad think that an [MKO] regime wouldn’t pursue nuclear weapons with the same or greater zeal as its predecessors?” [11]
The MKO are not heroes and a partnership with them will backfire. They are hypocrites who don’t stand for peace or democracy, and they don’t belong in Iran.
By Mazda Parsi
References:
[1] Belonsky, Andrew. "How GOP Leaders Allow Iran to Shape Their Policy." dt death+taxes 24 December 2010: Web. 15 Feb 2011.
[2] Partridge, Matthew. "Britain and America should beware supporting the Mujahideen-e-Khalq: The west must get tough with Iran – but supporting groups such as MEK would be morally and strategically wrong." Guardian 09 January 2011: Web. 15 Feb 2011.
[3] ibid
[4] ibid
[5] ibid
[6] Belonsky, Andrew. "How GOP Leaders Allow Iran to Shape Their Policy." dt death+taxes 24 December 2010: Web. 15 Feb 2011.
[7] ibid
[8] ibid
[9] Silverstein, Richard. "Mossad and Mujahadeen e-Khalq, Partners in Assassination Campaign." Tikun Olam: Making the World a Better Place. Essays on politics, culture and ideas about Israeli-Arab peace and world music, 01 December 2010. Web. 15 Feb 2011.
[10] ibid
[11] ibid
A group of fourteen people of families of Ashraf residents left Tabriz for Baghdad along with the one-year strike of picketing families at Ashraf gates. They endeavor to visit their loved ones taken as hostages by MKO cult leaders.
It is of importance to call on Iraqi authorities and international human rights bodies to assist these families.
A number of Gilani families join others picketing at Ashraf Gate on February 9th,2011
The families set off for Iraq Camp Ashraf chanting their motto " Open the doors of Ashraf" in order to visit their beloved ones captured by the cult of Rajavi.
The 30-people group of family members of Ashraf residents are determined to tolerate all difficulties on their path to achieve their human, legal requests.
They also called on humanitarian communities and the Red Cross to aid them to visit their brainwashed children.
May all families of MKO captives will be relived and pleased to see their loved ones!
The Iraqi Baath regime under the rule of Saddam Hussein and Jordan kingdom were both supporters of Mujahedin-e-Khalq cult for more than three decades. After the collapse of Saddam’s dictatorship, MKO cult lost its primary sponsor. Then Jordan monarchy tried to maintain its support for MKO either covertly or in diplomatic or political flattering language. The reason of such support lays in undemocratic and autocratic political structure of Jordan.
However, the contradictory fact which is not excusable about MKO is that the group’s leftist slogans and democratic gesture never suit its resorting to regimes like those of Jordan or Egypt. Doubtlessly, warm relations with the most notorious regimes of the region never go with freedom fighters’ mask.
According to Jordanian newspaper "Alarab Alyowm", Nariman alRusan, a member of Jordan parliament addressed Maryam Rajavi as, "Dear sister, President elect of Iranian Resistance, We declare our solidarity with your struggle and with anyone who sacrifices himself for his people…”
But, during the crucial recent protests in the Middle East including Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen, Jordan authorities have realized that they have to accept the responsibility for their un-democratic behavior. For years, they tried to guard imperialists’ interests in the region; they supported terrorists like Mujahedin-e-Khalq who have served Western powers in recent years. Now they face the protest movement of their people. It is worth to remind MKO’s ideological leader, Massoud Rajavi of the true nature of his old sponsor, Jordan government:
Daily Telegraph writes of the recent protests in the region, "Leaders of a lot of Arab countries concern over the events in Egypt; previously they observed the fall of Zin El Abidin Ben Ali in Tunisia". The editor of Daily Telegraph added," a increasing concern is forming in the Middle East; Jordan is one of those countries. Jordan is now ruled by a very autocratic government which is largely corrupt."
A glance at popular movements in Arabic nations and the recent events signifies the depth of corruption and power abuse by the authorities and their undemocratic, inhumane substance.
Mujahedin are now losing their supporters who are demolished by people protests one after anther.
MKO leaders and his gang are in a terrible situation. They have resorted to US and the West but the recent events have caused a dilemma to western authorities. Their vague position toward the issue notifies their tangled situation. Needless to say that following the uprisings of Arabic nations, the west will definitely lose into hope to use terrorists.
By Arash Rezaiee
It seems as if the West has plans for Iran and it looks like the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MKO) terrorists will be useful tools, as long as neo-con bullies get a buy-in from the American public. The MKO seems to be OK with being used in such a fashion—because, for them, it means more free and more misleading publicity. The MKO raised eyebrows in 2002, when they first revealed the alleged Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz. Their Washington-based press conference was more like a massive political advertisement. They managed to gain a lot of airtime by major TV networks, while cunningly and quietly raising credit for terrorism. The press conference that year propelled the MKO to collaborate with the conservative media; in time, their chief propaganda artist, Alireza Jafarzadeh, became an analyst for Fox News and then produced an anti-Iran themed book. Since the first press conference in 2002, the group has deliberately hastened anti-Iran sentiment and fueled neocons of the Bush administration who consider the MKO a useful arm in advancing their warmonger policies in the Middle East. The MKO leaders are professional charlatans and they know how to raise money by using “human rights” poster children in order to gain sympathy. They are disgustingly slick. And now they have partners—Israel’s Mossad intelligence, the United State’s CIA, and Britain’s MI6.
In November 2010, two top Iranian scientists, who were also university professors, were assassinated in Tehran. The incident occurred following a seemingly unrelated event in which European Union parliament members asked their foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, to pressure the United States to remove the MKO from its list of foreign terrorist organizations. In addition, two other events occurred. Yossi Melman of Israel’s Haaretz reports that one was “the leaking of State Department documents, many of which deal with the world’s concern about Iran’s nuclear program,” and the other was “the appointment of Tamil Pardo as the new head of Mossad, Israel’s foreign espionage agency.” [1] Melman, an Israeli intelligence expert, asserts that these events have an obvious link and that “they are part of endless efforts by the Israeli intelligence community, together with its Western counterparts including Britain’s MI6 and America’s CIA, to sabotage, delay and if possible, to stop Iran from reaching its goal of having its first nuclear bomb."[2].
The allegations of Yossi Melman can be confirmed by MI6 chief, John Sawers, who has publically recommended a solution on the Iranian Nuclear Program. In his first public speech as chief, he said that “intelligence activities were responsible for Iran’s admission last year of a second enrichment plant, which in turn led to tougher diplomatic pressure.” He also said that “stopping nuclear proliferation cannot be addressed purely by conventional diplomacy,” and that “we need intelligence-led operations to make it more difficult for countries like Iran to develop nuclear weapons.” [3] These words are like a green light for the MKO, who have worked with the CIA in the past, and received CIA money. [4] But more recently, the documents which allegedly proved an intention to build nuclear weapons by the Iranian government were actually composed and released by Israel’s Mossad. According to Gareth Porter, an investigative reporter, “Israeli intelligence was the source of the collection of intelligence documents which have been used to accuse Iran of hiding nuclear weapons research” and once the documents were released, they were laundered through the MKO. [5] Other journalists, both Connie Bruck and Seymour Hersh, have exposed the true source of the MKO’s so called revelation on Iranian sites—that they actually come from the Mossad. [6]
As far as the plot to assassinate the two scientists, those same intelligence agencies were involved. Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said that the US, Israel and British spy agencies and the anti-Iran terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization are conducting joint terrorist operations to assassinate Iranian university professors and scientists. He said, that "this inauspicious act was sponsored by the Zionist regime and in coordination with the western intelligence agencies, the US and Britain in particular, and was carried out by MKO hirelings.” [7]
The attack on Iranian scientists preceded the two talks between Iran and the 5+1 group in Geneva and Istanbul. In Geneva, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Saeed Jalili slammed his Western counterparts for the assassinations. "Terrorists targeted two Iranian scientists and one of them was martyred," Jalili announced. [8] Iran has been the biggest victim of MKO terrorist attacks—attacks which are well documented in the West, and actually go back decades.
Perhaps the Geneva talks were a small step forward for Iran if only because Iran had the opportunity to finally be heard. Kaveh Afrasiabi who reports from the Asia Times writes that “the two-day multilateral talks on Iran’s nuclear program in Geneva were branded by Iran as ‘positive and constructive’ and by Western diplomats as ‘difficult and candid.’” According to the European Union’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, discussions in Geneva, the first for more than a year, were "detailed and substantive," Covering nuclear as well as non-nuclear issues. [9] In January of this year, the new rounds of discussions in Istanbul made no real progress, but both sides think that future talks could happen. No date has been set. [10]
The response to the January talks is alarming. On the last day of the Istanbul discussions, a recent article on CNN’s website quoted former State Department official Mitchell Reiss saying that "there is no reason to be shy about doing more to support the Iranian opposition," and that "a good step would be delisting the MEK." [11] Even though it has been established that the MKO has been laundering Israel’s information, the US neocons are still pushing the message that the MKO is a good intelligence source. They are banking on the fact most Westerners just don’t know the whole story. Reiss and his comrades believe that the public can be easily sold—as they were sold on the “axis of evil.” It’s clear that Reiss believes the public will buy in to the whole “human rights” message the MKO pushes, which is a façade. Michael Mukasey, who served as attorney general under former President George W. Bush, was quoted in the same article as saying, “it is certainly helpful that MEK remain a bone in the throat of Iran. … It has provided valuable intelligence and information on the Iranian nuclear program to the U.S." And then furthered that "it would be fair to say the U.S. would not know a great deal about Iran’s nuclear program without the information obtained by MEK." [12] With comments like this, it’s apparent that very influential players are preparing the way for military interference, and the MKO is their puppet of choice.
As Yossi Melman suggests, "what US and Israel fail to understand is that sabotage and even military assaults isn’t a substitute for a policy– it’s a stop gap and more a signal of a failure of policy. Engaging and negotiation, no matter how imperfect and frustrating they may be, are the only way forward."[13] No diplomatic or intelligence force should be engaging with the MKO terrorists. What the MKO says they stand for now is irrelevant. What the MKO has done to the Iranian people is unforgivable and—puppet or no puppet—they simply have no place in the equation.
By Mazda Parsi
References
[1] Melman, Yossi. "Yossi Melman: Mossad, MI6, the CIA and the case of the
assassinated scientist." Independent 30 NOV 2010: Web. 2 Feb 2011. <
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/ middle-east/yossi-melman-mossad-mi6-the
-cia-and-the-case-of-the-assassinated-scientist-2146995.html>.
[2] Ibid
[3] Roberts, Laura. "Sir John Sawers: MI6 chief says intelligence is key to
curbing Iran’s nuclear power." Telegraph 28 October 2010: Web. 2 Feb 2011. <
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/
terrorism-in-the-uk/8092419/
Sir-John-Sawers-MI6-chief-says-intelligence-is-key
-to-curbing-Irans-nuclear-power.html>.
[4] Woodward, Bob. "US, UK Roles in Iran’s Mass Executions." Washington Post
1986, and republished in August 2010 on PBS’ program, “Frontline”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/ tehranbureau/2010/08/sources-say
-cia-gave-regime-list-of-kgb-agents.html
[5] Porter, Gareth. "Report Ties Dubious Iran Nuclear Docs to Israel." IPS
(Interpress Service News Agency (3 JUNE 2009): Web. 2 Feb 2011. <
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=47081>.
[6] Bruck, Connie. "A Reporter at Large: Exiles." New Yorker 6 March 2006: 48.
Also see:
Hersh, Seymour. “Preparing the Battlefield: The Bush Administration steps up
its secret moves against Iran.” New Yorker. 07 July 2008:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/07/080707fa_fact_hersh.
[7] "US, Israel, Britain, MKO Collaborating in Assassination of Iranian
Scientists, Says Iranian Defense Minister." Al-Jazeerah: Cross-Cultural
Understanding 30 November 2010: Web. 2 Feb 2011. <
http://www.aljazeerah.info/News/2010/November/30%20nUS,%20Israel,%20Britain,%20MKO%20
Collaborating%20in%20Assassination%20of%20
Iranian%20Scientists,%20Says%20Iranian%20Defense%20Minister.htm>.
[8] "Iran questions West silence on terror hit." Press TV 07 December 2010:
Web. 2 Feb 2011. http://www.presstv.ir/detail/154318.html.
[9] Afrasiabi, Kaveh L. "Iran talks take small step forward." Asia Times 09
December 2010, http://www.atimes.com/ atimes/Middle_East/LL09Ak02.html
[10] "NO PROGRESS IN IRANIAN NUKE TALKS." Turkish Radio Television
Corporation: Posted 22.01.2011 12:30:06 UTC. Web. 2 Feb 2011.
<http://www.trtturkmence.com/trtworld/en/ newsDetail.aspx?HaberKodu=1f087b7c-1031-480d-94ff-7cb3d4d0916b>.
[11] Benson, Pam. "U.S. tempering expectations for multinational talks with
Iran." CNN United States 20 January 2010: Web. 2 Feb 2011. <
http://articles.cnn.com/2011-01-20/us/
iran.nuclear.talks_1_uranium-enrichment-
program-nuclear-program-iran-and-six-world?_s=PM:US>.
[12] Ibid
[13] Melman, Yossi. "Yossi Melman: Mossad, MI6, the CIA and the case of the
assassinated scientist." Independent 30 NOV 2010: Web. 2 Feb 2011.
<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/
world/middle-east/yossi-melman-mossad-mi6-the
-cia-and-the-case-of-the-assassinated-scientist-2146995.html>.
Nejat Society meeting in Tehran
On January 16th,2011, a number of families who are members of Nejat Society Tehran Branch attended a meeting where three recently defectors of MKO, Hamid Hajipour, Akbar Mohebi and Muhammad Bagher Keshavarz analyzed the most recent situation in Camp Ashraf Iraq.
Nejat Society official in Tehran described the presence of families at Ashraf gates as effective and positive to encourage captured members to escape the cult of Rajavi. They also notified that other families of Nejat Society are so eager to join their peer at Ashraf gates.
The defectors who had been captured by MKO dictatorship for more than twenty years assured the families that families strike at Ashraf gates is like a message of love and hope for captives of Camp Ashraf.
Families, for their part, shared their memoirs of their loved ones with dissociated members.
During the meeting, it was decided to send a new group of Tehrani families to Iraq. Besides, participants signed a petition to UN Secretary General and UN representative in Iraq asking that their letters be delivered to their children directly by UN or ICRC’s representatives. They also asked for release of their children as soon as possible.
There is little that can threaten the relationship between the US and Iran, except when it comes to the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MKO). The MKO, a cult-like terrorist organization, has, through a massive propaganda campaign, been aggressively brushing its ugliness under the rug. And to some, it may look like its effort is starting to pay off. The fresh representation of the group is carefully constructed to exhibit the right mixture of human rights advocacy, victimless, and political force. Politicians who have bought into the MKO’s cleaner image fall into one of two categories—those who honestly don’t know about the group’s horrific nature or those who are profusely aware of the group’s character but are carefully and confidently willing to step forward and exploit them for a political agenda.
The MKO’s exact moral fiber is well known among Iranian nationals, and most find the group a bizarre collection of detestable figures who participated in murdering thousands of Iranian citizens—this is not well-known outside Iran, and the MKO would like it to stay that way. Most Iranians and a grim minority of Western journalists and scholars understand that the MKO has a Hitleresque type leadership. People who follow the activities of the MKO know that the US State Department designates the MKO as a "cult-like" terrorist organization that "uses propaganda and terrorism to achieve its objectives." [1] The Congressional Record states that, “for politically expedient reasons, the MEK presently assumes various titles. Some of the most commonly used ones include: The MEK [or MKO], the Organization of the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI), The NCR, Iran Relief Fund (IRF), and the Muslim Iranian Students Society (MISS). In the same vein, the MEK has also misrepresented itself as ideologically akin to the Muslim Afghan Mujahedin freedom fighters.” [2] But to the mainstream public the MKO may appear to be a legitimate organization pushing bonafides democracy. In fact, it has long been documented by the US government that even though the group is a terrorist organization (and its assets have been frozen by the US Treasury Department under Executive Order 13224 [3]), it identifies itself as a genuine “human rights” organization and has even sponsored several front groups in order to push its message of replacing the current government of Iran with its own.
The MKO has lobbied aggressively and gained the support of some Western politicians. And those who don’t support them seem to turn a blind eye. There was an honest effort to expose the group’s terrorist activities by Senator John McCain shortly after Bill Clinton’s first election, but that effort sadly died down when McCain felt it was too controversial of a topic to engage in—a trap may politicians fall into. At least he tried, and his effort is on the Congressional Record. [4] Politicians who fail to educate themselves and fail to acknowledge the atrocities of the MKO suffer from indifference, and this indifference allows the group more power to weasel around, lobby, and seek favors in political circles. Moreover, politicians who educate themselves about the MKO and yet fail to denounce the group are committing a moral offense. In recent years the MKO cult, despite their status in the Congressional Record have lobbied both the European Parliament and the US Congress in order boost their campaign (with the ridiculous goal of taking over Iran). The MKO managed a chilling triumph when they uncompromisingly applied pressure to, and then obtained support from enough EU representatives to get a declaration issued in late November 2010 from the European Parliament which urges Washington to remove the MKO from its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, a declaration neo-cons later planned to take advantage of.
As part of their campaign, the MKO insists that it has not engaged in terrorist tactics for over twenty years. In the face of this claim, a 2007 RAND report describes the MKO as “skilled manipulators of public opinion.” The report, commissioned on behalf of the US Department of Defense says that “during the more than four decades since its founding, the MEK has become increasingly adept at crafting and promoting its image as a democratic organization that seeks to bring down Iranian tyrants, both secular and religious.” [5]
Although terrorist activities of the MKO are well documented by the media, foreign governments, and the US government, a US State Department paper reports that “despite Mujahedin assertions that the group has abandoned its revolutionary ideology and now favors a liberal democracy, there is no written or public record of discussion or debate about the dramatic reversals in the Mujahedin’s stated positions. Moreover, the Mujahedin’s 29 year record of behavior does not substantiate its capability or intention to be democratic. Internally the Mujahedin run their organization autocratically, suppressing and eschewing tolerance of differing viewpoints."[6]
Now, in the wake of increasing pressure on Iran, a number of important right wing figures including Michael B. Mukasey, Tom Ridge, Rudolph W. Giuliani, and Frances Fragos Townsend attended the group’s gathering in Paris where they advocated the group as an alternative for the government in Tehran. Their support for a foreign terrorist designated organization bugged a large number of US journalist and educators. As a reply to criticism against them the four Paris lecturers wrote an article in the *National Review*published January 10, 2011 basically denouncing the State Department for including the MKO on the Foreign Terrorist Organization list.
They implied that the MKO was on the list in the first place because of a US political move made to ease relations with Iran. Following the European Union’s lead, Mukasey and his neo-con gang propose to actually delist the MKO. They have been vigorously backing the MKO and have petitioned members of congress to do the same, bragging that “more than 100 members of Congress have supported a resolution to undo this designation.” [7] The article is a perfect example of shallow rhetoric designed to convince the public to soften its stance on seemingly non-violent Muslim groups, while promoting an idea that Iran is the enemy, and the MKO is all about human rights. But what they are not stating is that the MKO is a violent, militant group who assassinated Americans in the 1970’s, and then participated in taking over the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979, all of which is well-documented by the US State Department. These rock star figures, Michael B. Mukasey, Tom Ridge, Rudolph W. Giuliani, and Frances Fragos Townsend are backstabbing the American public—bluntly making a political move as leverage against Iran—all because they either lack understanding about the true nature of the MKO, and have seriously and dangerously bought into the MKO’s scheme, or they are simply justifying their own agenda which is to destabilize the Middle East even further—using the MKO to target Iran. Either case is dismal. American politicians need to be informed, and the American people need the real facts. It is immoral for an American political band, or any political band for that matter, to assist the MKO. It is immoral to set an agenda for Iran without giving any consideration to the sentiment of the Iranian public, who feel complete repugnance for the most reprehensible terrorist group the nation has ever known The outcome of the MKO’s lobbying in the US congress remains to be seen. How America comes to see the MKO, and how they treat the MKO will have a significant impact on US-Iran relations. President Obama has made it clear to the public he is concerned with the relationship and the *New York Times*reported that he has “willingness to conduct talks at the highest level with Iran.” [8] And when that time comes, if it comes at all, undoubtedly Iran will want to discuss the MKO. For Michael B. Mukasey, Tom Ridge, Rudolph W. Giuliani, and Frances Fragos Townsend, and the 100 members of congress who want to remove the MKO from the Foreign Terrorist Organization list, a blockage of Obama’s presidential diplomatic effort with Iran seems not only counterproductive, but it confuses the American public, and fuels additional mistrust of US foreign policy. Now is the time for the US State Department to do what they admit they have not, and that is to have “a serious written or public record of discussion or debate about the dramatic reversals in the Mujahedin’s stated positions.” [9]
References:
[2] Congressional Record, Senate Proceedings and Debates of the 103rd Congress, First Session Thursday, January 21, 1993
SUPPORTING THE RIGHT OPPOSITION GROUPS IN IRAN AND IRAQ
(Document Citation: 139 Congressional Record, page S172-03)
http://www.iranaffairs.com/iran_affairs/2009/11
/the-mko-mek-pmoi-facts.html
[3]US Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control
http://www.treasury.gov/offices/enforcement/
ofac/programs/terror/terror.pdf
[4]Refer to the Congressional Record, Senate Proceedings
and Debates of the 103rd Congress, First Session Thursday, January 21,1993
SUPPORTING THE RIGHT OPPOSITION GROUPS IN IRAN AND IRAQ
(Document Citation: 139 Congressional Record, page S172-03)
http://www.iranaffairs.com/iran_affairs/2009/11/
the-mko-mek-pmoi-facts.html
[5]NIAC NEWS. "MEK Supporters in Congress Turn up Pressure
on Administration to Take Group off Terrorist List."
*National Iranian American Council* November 23, 2010: Web. 21 Jan 2011.
http://www.niacouncil.org/site/News2page=
NewsArticle&id=6876&security=1&news_iv_ctrl=1061
[6]Katzman, Kenneth. US State Department Report, Library of Congress.
Congressional Research Service. The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran.
Washington, Nov 1992. Doc. call no.: M-U 42953-1 no.92-824F as posted on the
Iran-interlink.org website:
http://www.iran-interlink.org/files/child%20pages/USstatedept.htm
See also: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
website: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4ac9c2c52.pdf.
See also: CORI (Country of Origin Research and Information) website:
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4ac9c2c52.pdf
[7] Mukasey, Michael B., Tom Ridge, Rudolph W. Giuliani,
and Frances Fragos Townsend.
"MEK Is Not a Terrorist Group."*National Review Online* January10,2011
Web. 21 Jan 2011.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/256689/
mek-not-terrorist-group-michael-b-mukasey-tom
-ridge-and-frances-fragos-townsend.
[8] Gordon, Michal R, and Jeff Zeleny. "If Elected Obama Envisions New Iran
Approach." *New York Times *Online November 2, 2000,
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[9]Katzman, Kenneth. US State Department Report, Library of Congress.
Congressional Research Service.
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Washington, Nov 1992. Doc. call no.:
M-U 42953-1 no.92-824F as posted on the Iran-interlink.org website:
http://www.iran-interlink.org/files/child%20pages/USstatedept.htm
See also: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
website: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4ac9c2c52.pdf.
See also: CORI (Country of Origin Research and Information) website:
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4ac9c2c52.pdf
By Mazda Parsi
The Third View on MKO During 2010