++ Comments this week have mostly concerned the mass transfer of MEK members from Iraq to Albania. The main question for everyone is whether Albania will become the next Camp Ashraf and whether, therefore, Saudi Arabia is capable of becoming the next Saddam? If the answer is no, they’re both in deep shit because the MEK couldn’t achieve its goals even with Saddam’s help.
++ Other comments have talked about the exodus of disaffected members in Tirana and the breakdown of the MEK’s control over the members. Basically, there is growing chaos inside the MEK as members are constantly finding ways to contact the outside world.
++ While this is happening, four series of wanted people – heads of the MEK – have been transferred out of Iraq using false documents. There is some evidence they are under the protection of Saudi Intelligence. All this has somehow been leaked. The photos, names, pseudonyms and photocopies of the false documents of these individuals have been published in four series. Some of these missing people are the personal assistants (cook, driver, secretary, etc.) and bodyguards of Massoud Rajavi which prompts the question ‘has Rajavi been transferred to Saudi, Europe or is he dead?’ Whichever is true, this movement means he doesn’t need these people anymore. The main question inside the MEK remains unanswered – the Saudis say he’s dead, and the MEK – as the mercenaries of the Saudis – do not answer.
++ As usual now the MEK have got stuck with all these problems, the only thing they can do is to attack former members, presumably hoping to divert internal attention away from these questions.
In English:
++ Joseph Hammond in The National Interest says that Prince Turki’s speech at the MEK rally demonstrates a new direction for him personally and a new Saudi approach to Iran. Turki used to platform to directly threaten regime change against Iran. The article was more cautious in determining the MEK’s role. “Indeed, the MEK often refers to Rajavi bizarrely as the ‘president-elect’ of the Iranian Opposition… The extent to which the MEK maintains intelligence operatives within Iran is unclear. Other than a string of mysterious fires at petrochemical facilities, there is little evidence of an ongoing sabotage campaign. What is clear is a new Saudi willingness to confront what its perceived Iranian threat more directly.”
++ Iran Didban and the Tehran Times covered the meeting between Mahmoud Abbas and Maryam Rajavi. Both the meeting and the MEK itself were dismissed as insignificant.
++ Arash Karami, Al Monitor – an audio file sheds light on 1980s executions in Iran. The article says the audio file sheds light on the Ayatollah Montazeri’s objections to the mass execution of political prisoners toward the end of Ayatollah Khomeini’s life. Many of the political prisoners in Iran at that time were from the MEK.
++ Mazda Parsi for Nejat Society says ‘Selling out your country to enemies, the MKO’s full-time job’. The article examines examples of treasonous acts against the Iranian nation by the MEK in the context of the recent execution of Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri for treason.
August 19 2016