During the past decade, the Mujahedin Khalq Organization (the MKO/ MEK/ PMOI/ the Cult of Rajavi) has been notoriously known for its deep pockets to donate the US high profiles for their lobbying campaign to advocate the group against the Iranian government. However, the group’s multi-million dollar contributions are not restricted to the US. The Spanish political party, Vox has recently been in the limelight for receiving donations from the MKO. In addition, the group has paid hefty sums to Spanish politicians for speaking on behalf of the group in its gatherings.
“The so-called National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), is under the spotlight for having financed the campaign of Vox in the European elections of 2014,” El Confidencial reported. “This Iranian sect, whose members live confined in a camp in Albania, it also counted on the participation of other former Spanish high-ranking officials in its conferences.” [1]
However, El Confidencial asserts that the US politicians have been the favorite political figures to receive MKO’s money.
“Rudolph Giuliani, former mayor of New York, still charged 150,000 euros or 200,000 more expenses. Bill Richardson, former governor of New Mexico, between 75,000 and 100,000 euros, ”El Confidencial cites a person who has collaborated in the organization. “The cache of Spanish politicians is lower, perhaps 50,000 euros or less, for a former president, according to industry sources.” [2]
The MKO’s lavish funding of Western politicians is their unfailing tactic to cultivate sponsors. As they could manage to gain the support of John Bolton and Rudy Giuliani. The Spanish journalist explains how the tactic works in his country. “For Iranian dissident it was a way to make high-level contacts,” he suggests.
“They say that they did not supervise the speech and did ask for a previous meeting in Madrid to explain their plans and their movement. The ex-politicians converted into lecturers accepted without asking much about the origin of the funds, which, according to most specialists, come largely from Saudi Arabia, in addition to the donations of their followers and other sources of support.” [3]
Robert Fantina of the Counter Punch sees the threat of the MKO’s presence in another part of Europe: France. “At present, there are two groups active in France,” he asserts.
“One is known as the ‘Yellow Vests’ an informal organization that started to protest an increase in fuel taxes, and expanded to oppose a wide range of practices of the government of president Emmanuel Macron that are seen as detrimental to the public. There was no well-established plan and no recognized leader. The second organization is the MEK (Mujahideen-e Khalq), a terrorist organization that seeks the overthrow of the Iranian government. MEK members have been responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people.” [4]
Fantina believes that by sheltering the MKO, the French government is following the American hypocrisy.
“France, one of the signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, condemned the U.S. withdrawal from this international agreement, and French government officials are looking for a means to circumvent the threatened US sanctions if its corporations continue to do business with Iran,” he writes. “Yet they support a terrorist organization whose sole purpose is the overthrow of the Iranian government.” [5]
Fantina advises the French government to be clear on its stance towards Iran emphasizing on the decline of US’s power and influence in the international politics. He points out that the many nations are seeking ways to continue trading with Iran despite the US sanctions.
“The fact that several nations are looking for ways around his threatened sanctions is in itself a good sign, one that is indicative of dwindling US power and influence,” he writes. “While France praises the terrorist MEK, it also seeks ways of continuing to trade with Iran.” [6]
Today, 40 years after the Iranian Revolution, It is not hard to understand the root and legacy of Iranian hatred towards the West. Even, Thamar E.Gindin, the pro-Israel activist confirms that the MKO is one of the reasons of the Iranians’ concern over the Western interference in their country. She investigates the roots of such a resentment. In his recent article titled “Understanding ‘Nofuzophobia”, he correctly accomplishes that most Iranians embrace Western culture but
“they do remain apprehensive about foreign political involvement and interference”. “One of the fears expressed by many Iranians, people who detest the current regime but do not take active measures to overthrow it, is that because there is no clear alternative, they are afraid the West would interfere again and impose a regime they don’t want, such as the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK)—the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, an Iranian opposition group favored by the West,” he writes. [7]
Thus, Western governments should take it into consideration that the Iranians want to stop their reckless policies regarding the terrorist cult-like MKO. Otherwise, the European countries may be haunted by the cells of terrorist extremists of the MKO someday.
By Mazda Parsi
References:
[1] El Confidencial, Aznar, Zapatero … The other politicians financed by terrorists, January 16, 2019.
[2] ibid
[3] ibid
[4] Fantina, Robert, France, Yellow Vests and the MEK, Counter Punch, January 25, 2019.
[5] ibid
[6] ibid
[7]E. Gindin, Thamar, Understanding ‘Nofuzophobia’, The roots and legacy of Iranian resentment of the West, part of a weeklong look at 40 years of the revolution, Tabletmag.com, January 17, 2019.