In his latest demonstration of support, Rudy Giuliani joined Maryam Rajavi in Rome on July 16–17, 2026, for international conferences at the Italian Parliament and the Luigi Einaudi Foundation. Addressing the geopolitical crisis in Iran, rejecting policies of appeasement toward Tehran, he endorsed Maryam Rajavi’s so-called Ten-Point plan.
Political analysts and foreign policy experts suggest that Rudy Giuliani and other prominent U.S. political figures support the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK or its political vitrine the NCRI) due to strategic calculations rather than an endorsement of the group’s internal popularity or its history as it is a formerly terrorist designated group.
The Contrast with Public Opinion in Iran
The MEK lacks widespread support inside Iran; independent experts and historians note that the vast majority of the Iranian public deeply distrusts the group. The group’s most significant historical betrayal is that during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, the MEK allied with Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, fighting against Iranian soldiers. This action alienated nearly all segments of Iranian society.
Violation of human rights under the cult-like structure of the group have been documented. Human rights organizations and former members have frequently accused the MEK of operating as a cult, further damaging its credibility as a democratic alternative.
Why U.S. Figures Support the MEK
Direct Opposition: Despite its violent, extremist background and cult-like structure under the rule of Rajavi, The MEK is the most highly organized, well-funded, and vocal opposition group actively seeking to overthrow the current Iranian government. For the group’s American sponsors, the logic is: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. For Washington hawks, the primary goal is regime change in Tehran; the MEK is seen as a ready-made instrument to pressure the current government.
High-budget Lobbying: The MEK runs a highly sophisticated, multi-million-dollar public relations campaign in Western capitals, presenting themselves as pro-democracy and secular. Many high-profile Western politicians, including Giuliani, have historically received substantial financial compensation for speaking at MEK/NCRI events.
Rudy Giuliani has reportedly been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars over more than a decade for delivering brief speeches and lobbying on behalf of the MEK.
The Financial Details of Giuliani’s income via MEK
Estimated Fee Per Speech: While Giuliani’s exact cumulative earnings from the MEK remain undisclosed, his standard fee via the Washington Speakers Bureau was $100,000 to $200,000 per appearance during his peak speaking years. Reports indicate he was paid handsomely—at least $20,000 or much more per brief appearance for MEK-specific events.
Frequency: Robert G. Torricelli, a former U.S. Senator acting as a legal representative for the MEK, confirmed that Giuliani was directly paid for an initial series of three or four speeches early in his advocacy. Since then, Giuliani has met with MEK officials or spoken at their annual events at least once every year.
Luxe Travel Demands: Financial disclosures from Giuliani’s peak speaking era show his standard contract required hosts to provide luxury accommodations, including private travel on a Gulfstream IV jet or larger for out-of-town events.
How the Payments Were Funneled
Because the MEK was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the U.S. State Department until September 2012, direct financial transactions with the group were illegal. To bypass this, the funding was structured through intermediaries including front organizations, lobbying firms and speakers’ bureaus.
Money is funneled through a network of U.S.-based Iranian-American immigrant organizations and community groups aligned with the MEK like the Organization of Iranian-American Communities (OIAC) which is a U.S. based grass-roots group. These local groups pay the international lobbying law firms like DLA Piper. DLA Piper routed the funds through a professional speakers’ bureau, which ultimately issued the official checks to Giuliani and other U.S. officials.
Chronology of Paid Appearances of Rudy Giuliani
2011–2012 (The Delisting Campaign): Giuliani was hired to give a series of high-profile speeches in Washington, Paris, and London. His explicit objective was to pressure the State Department to remove the MEK from the terrorist list.
2012 Treasury Investigation: The U.S. Treasury Department opened an investigation into Giuliani and other politicians to determine if receiving these funds violated U.S. sanctions laws against terrorist entities. No charges were filed, and the MEK was delisted months later.
Post-2012 Rallies: Free from legal restrictions, Giuliani continued appearing as a paid speaker at massive MEK annual rallies in Paris, Albania, and Poland and Italy frequently sharing the stage with Maryam Rajavi to call for immediate regime change in Iran.
However, during an MEK rally in Albania, in 2019, Rudy Giuliani described the group as a “government-in-exile”, saying it is a ready-to-go alternative to lead the country if the Iranian government falls. Now, 7 years later, Giuliani must understand that the MEK is still stuck in Albania and Iranians despise it more than ever.
Mazda Parsi
