The day after Banisadr was discharged from his position as the Commander in Chief, on 10 June 1981, the organization that believed they could “Wipe out the regime” with him, announced that his life was in danger. Mujahedin hid him, preparing his escape from Iran.

His relationship with Mujahedin had begun only a few months after he took the administration, and eventually, his increasing meetings with Masoud Rajavi made other authorities worried. The bitter incident of 5 March 1982, added up to the pother.

The relationship was based on a strategic view that they thought they both will need each other in the future. He later mentioned in his diaries that if they had not come to him, he would have done it.

In 1987, some documents were found and in them, Rajavi had declared that with Banisadr’s cooperation, they would wipe out the regime. The political alliance was beneficial for Banisadr, who had not an organized structure within the system. And he was a means to smooth the way for them to get to their goals.

On 23 March 1981, Rajavi asked Banisadr in a confidential letter to hold a demonstration on April 1. Then, on April 27, Mujahedin hold a demonstration to support the president. On May 21, Rajavi’s second confidential letter was sent to Banisadr, admiring his thesis for a referendum and his opposition to Imam’s advice. He called Banisadr the “Allende” of Iran.

When Banisadr had no authority anymore, their cooperation reached to the top. Mujahedin issued a statement which mentioned: “Mujahedin-e- Khalq is warning and standing against any attempt on the life of the president, and ask for preparation and resistance. We consider supporting him as a revolutionary responsibility all over the country”.

On June 16, they issued another statement claiming that “President’s life is in danger, and that people in Tehran have to prepare themselves to rescue him. You’ve seen their terrible shows last night on TV: people shouting” Death to Banisadr”. Apparently, the hypocrites are so hurried to stage an imperialistic coup, that they plan to execute the legal president and present it on their media”.

After the plan to investigate the inefficiency of the president was approved by the parliament, people held a protest in front of the parliament and asked for immediate action about Banisadr. To respond, Mujahedin issued another statement and asked people to shout “Allah – o – Akbar” on their roof tops, to support freedom and Banisadr. People did not do so and their plan was failed. On June 19, which coincided with Shabaan 15, Imam Khomeini warned the nation about the collusion of Anti-Islamic Revolution groups in Iran and asked for immediate action. Mujahedin also warned about the consequences of dismissal of the president and threatened the members of the parliament not to attend the meeting to investigate the inefficiency of the president: ”

“People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran warns every member of the parliament about the consequences of dismissal of the president. So, we remind them all the parliaments in history which helped the dictatorship to settle and asked them to avoid the eternal curse from the Iranian nation and not to be afraid of those in power.

Meanwhile, they had hidden Banisadr and finally helped him escape the country by hijacking an air force plane with the cooperation of their spies inside of the army.

When he was settled in Paris, Mujahedin used his name as a means to achieve their goals. Rajavi also married his daughter Firoozeh, but their marriage didn’t last long.

On September 29, the plan for Iran’s democratic temporary government was announced and Banisadr, as the president, and Rajavi, as the chief of National Council of Resistance signed it. But soon Banisadr found out that he worked only as a tool for Mujahedin so on 10 March 1984, he left the organization which took his credit and influence.

by IRDC

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Radio France Internationale:
A number of high authorities of Bush Administration including, former Homeland security advisor Tom Ridge, former Homeland Security Advisor Francis Townsend , former attorney general Michael Mukasey former New York City mayor and Rudy Giuliani asked US administration to change its current policy towards Islamic Republic of Iran declaring their support for Mujahedin Khalq Organization.

The US prominent politicians attended the conference held by MKO last night to speak on behalf of the group under the title “Ashraf and Policy on Iran.”

Former NY mayor Giuliani spoke of necessary change in US policy towards IR:”Appeasement of dictators leads to war, destruction and the loss of human lives,” Giuliani said. “For your organization to be described as a terrorist organization is just really a disgrace.”

Mr. Banisadr, how do you evaluate such a behavior by some prominent republicans if we don’t consider it a shift in policies?
Dr. Abolhassan Banisadr:

Well, regarding Mr. Rajavi, it is a 180 degree change. MKO started its activities by assassination of Americans in Iran. Now the organization is doing something that’s never been recorded in our history. They pay western politicians to travel and to participate in their gatherings to gain their support.

Imagine the Iranian community seeing the group directly and clearly backed by people like Mr. Mukasey who was secretary of DOJ while Iran Gate scandal or John Bolton, a neo-con who attended another MKO conference to support the group. They are told by these prominent people,”Remove the current regime and replace it by this obviously dependent group[MKO]!” I’m not surprised if the above- mentioned American figures do not know Iranian people and are not aware of the situation in Iran. This means that such behaviors by these people just stabilize the Iranian regime but not weaken it. Fighting against dictatorship is not feasible by publicly supporting groups like Mr. Rajavi’s group.

That was about the Iranian side. And about the American side, as I told in US Republican Party there are different affinities. Those who were in Bush administration are not simple. They are a bunch of warmongers who moved ahead the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and caused the current situation in Iran. As it was investigated those wars were launched for gas and oil. Gas and oil of middle Asia in Afghanistan war, the oil of Iraq and the Gulf; total control over the gulf. They are such type of people!

They are not naïve people to come here just to support Rajavi’s group. They know well that the group has no base in Iran and Iranians hate them. I don’t think they are not aware but they are not able to do anything else.

Those elements who advocate freedom and independence do not resort to foreign powers and they have always made all their efforts to prevent foreigners from making alternative for Iranian regime and they will never let them make it. That’s the task of Iranian people. The independent alternative exists and we are sure that Iranian’s movement will win.
RFI: So, Mr. Banisadr, don’t you think that republicans could make a change in current US policy?

Dr.Banisadr: I don’t think there is a change at all. Think of when they invaded Iraq where Mr. Rajavi was harbored by Saddam. If they had been trustworthy about their claims for war on terror ,they should have removed the group’s base Camp Ashraf from Iraq immediately after their arrival since they considered MKO as a terrorist group, but they didn’t do so, instead they protected the group. Mr. Bush’s gone, Mr. Obama has come and the US policy is still based on protecting the group. We would speak of change in policy if they eradicated MKO from Iraqi territory.

A number of people suggest that MKO expulsion is wrong! They want to organize the group against Iranian regime! I mean they want to use MKO as a tool against Islamic Republic!

RFI: Do you think Obama administration will accept to use MKO in its policies towards Iran?

Dr. Banisadr: well, if you refer to Wikileaks reports, they say they will do so! However, we haven’t seen such report about MKO yet but there are reports on such use of other ethic minorities by US. They are using them now! So it is not unlikely that this administration [Barack Obama] seeks to use the group but those who run US foreign policy seem to know that using this group against Iranian regime is more harmful than beneficial because it will multiply public hatred among Iranian community!

RFI: Mr. Banisadr I’m very thankful to you for your presence in this show. I notify that Mr. Abolhassan Banisadr was the first President of Islamic Republic who resides in France now.
Translated by Nejat Society

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–        Not at all, their relation was much older. Every thing had begun in the early 1983. And this was the reason of our separation in January, I received a call from Edgard Pisani, one of the former and popular ministers of General de Gole. He had asked me :”do you agree with a meeting with Mr Tariq Aziz?” Tariq Aziz was Saddam’s minister. How did you want me accept that. I considered myself as a victim of Iraq. As the former president of Iran, how could I accept to meet a member of the aggressive country?

–        Therefore you refused …

–        Of course. But, an hour later, Rajavi came to me and told me:”I accepted to meet Tariq Aziz.” I reproached him, since he had made this decision without consulting me.

–        What happened during the meeting?

–        As, it was expected, the meeting took three hours, rather than an hour. Tariq Aziz bought Rajavi.

–        Wasn’t the victim satisfied?

–        Maybe. But, unfortunately Rajavi didn’t realize that, one can not go to Tehran via Baqdad and then control Iran. No Iranian could tolerate it .

–        On February 8th , 1985, a while after your daughter’s divorce from Rajavi, he married Maryam Rajavi and immediately called her ” the leader” of Mujahedin Khalq too. Now who commands the Mujahedin? Masud or Maryam?

–        Masud, definitely. He is the leader and Maryam the commander-in-chief. They’re a political couple just like “Mao Tse-Tang” and “Chou En- Lia”. He told that Ayatollah Khomeini has divested him of a power that was legally his. He considered himself as Imam. Perhaps, that very “Imam Zaman”. According to our religious laws, “Imam Zaman” or our twelfth Imam who became absent in 873, should return before the ending of the world to bring peace to the world.

–        How can the MEK members, the Marxists, in spite of all these things, accept his believes?

–        They live, separated from the rest of the world. They don’t have the right to say a word except Rajavi’s thoughts. It seems they live in a cult. For me, Mujahedin are nothing but a cult… 

–        What’s your idea about military activities of MEK?

–        In my idea, violence against violence, there’s no other solution in Iran. To oppose this regime, you should neutralize its forces politically. A national awakness has been appeared, regarding to that the violence is useless. Rajavi and I, in “ouver Sur d’Oise , have decided to limit using military forces when defending ourselves and never start violence ourselves, but, he came to me one day, with a new slogan. He affirmed “Armed struggle is the only solution to put an end to regime. He insisted that I also imitate him and support his idea in my journal which was being published in exile, called “Islamic Revolution”. Besides attacking the enemy in his own base was not useful. Since Qoran says:”Qateloo Aemato lkofr”; “attack the chiefs of the infidels”. If you want to achieve victory with armed forces, you should kill some Iranians for they want Khomeini. It’s a vain dream. This very point, was always the disagreement point between me and Rajavi.

–        In Iran I got some testimonies which are based on some attacks to civilians. The victims and the witnesses accuse Mujahedin Khalq for this attempt. Is it creditable?

–        I doubt about that, since its not profitable for them. I know that some other groups acted in the same way, such as the ones who worked for Iran government including Javadi…

(I understand that BaniSadr means, Javad Mansouri, former chief of Sepah Pasdaran, who I met in Tehran)

– Javadi and his friends in order to justify their pressure on Mujahedin and execute them, committed violent and cruel attacks on Mujahedin’s account. And Rajavi, in his turn, accepted the charge of these attacks to attach importance to himself. 

–        I also considered testimonies on their motor attacks in the center of cities.

–        Yes, they happened in Mr. Khomeini’s era. Rajavi got the responsibility and he might be responsible.  

–        However, the bombing in Islamic Republic Party in which 72 persons were killed including Ayatollah Behashti and 10 governmental individuals and 20 deputies, also happened.

–        Mujahedin had no role in this attempt. The following day, I asked them and they admitted that they’re innocent.

–        However, they accepted the responsibility.

–        I asked Iran second office (Army Information) about it. They told me:” this attempt was an engineering action. The explosives were placed in an exact way so that the ceiling falls dawn and kills everybody. Nobody is able to operate such attack except the  army and if it’s not our faults, it’s the Pasdaran’s …”

 (My nerves started to walk , since while that attempt he was deposed from his responsibility and as a fleeing person , I think his Iranian information service got him the information badly. More than any other thing, I could feel his uncomfortable situation.

My attention draw to the former president’s hands which were hitting the hands of the sofa. It was his dinner time.)

–        In Iran , with the agreement of the officials, I met some separated MEK. Most of them were free. They had enjoyed the Public Amnesty law. What do you think of the accuracy of their discourses?

–        It’s the regime’s regulation. All Mujahedin members are condemned to death. Otherwise, they accepted to cooperate with regime. You shouldn’t   trust on such people.

–        But, even if I don’t trust, I have to accept that their words was confirmed by the other refugees who live in Germany or other parts of  Europe.

–        I know some sincere ones among them, however you should investigate.

–        I agree. For this reason, I’m looking for the most number of activists and witnesses to compare their words. In this case, Mujahedin members don’t help me so much. They don’t like the journalists who are too curious to know about them.

–        No. I know. Once a reporter interviewed them , after the interviews, they understood that one of them has talked too much. So they wanted to get back the reported cassettes of the interviews. 

The post Alen Cheuvalrias interviewed Banisadr- (Part two) appeared first on Nejat Society.

–         As well as Mr. Khomeini, I was exiled in France. In that period, I composed a document which became the official speech of the revolution: in that document, I believed in reconciliating the principal tendencies of that time; the islamists, Marxists and liberals.

–         What do you mean by liberals?

–         I mean the ones who believe in the liberty of economy based on the independence. I arrived in Iran by the time Mr. Khomeini arrived, on February first, 1979. He introduced me as a fighter and defendant against Marxists and Mujahedin and Masud Rajavi. Now I had been changed too much through Iran evolutions, to expand my ideas of liberty. While electing constitutional council, in August, I was elected for the second position, after Mr. Taleqani. In January 1980, the Iranians elected me as the president of Islamic republic of Iran, by 75 percent of the votes.

( I was surprised of the title “Mr.”before the names of religious leaders of Iran. Besides if most of Iranian politicmen enjoy good electoral diaries and Bani Sadr is not an exception, it is due to Mr. Khomeini’s support and Bani Sadr forget to mention that his permanence in regime of Iran, was indebted to Mr. Khomeini’s confirmation. During that period of revolution, most Iranians supported everybody who was exiled by former regime and its rivals. Nobody could being elected by people and receive a high position unless he enjoyed this option. But I don’t want to reconstruct the Iran revolution here.

Since I and all my colleagues , in our profession, enjoy a sort of “journalistic license” to search for the truth and have an advantage of being rude to the highest officials, I questioned the former president of Iran on his personal consideration about his legitimacy and popularity. )

–         Did you have relations with Mujahedin previously?

–         No. it was a long later ,that Masud Rajavi contacted with me. When I arrived in Iran, I suggested him to dispute ideologically but he didn’t accept.

–         Why?

–         I guess he didn’t consider himself enough powerful to defend his ideas or to present a satisfactory dispute.

–         Once, you were the president of Iran, your relation with Imam Khomeini became strained very soon. You also objected with Rajaee the prime minister elected by the parliament. Did you have contacts with MEK before the manifestation of Khordad 30th (June 20th, 1981) and your discharge by the parliament on June 21st?

–         After coup d’etat against the president, I fled to some friend of Mr. Darush Forouhar, the director of the party of Iranian people. There, Masud Rajavi’s messengers came to visit me 

(I couldn’t restrain myself from thinking about Darush Forouhar. In 1995 while my trip to Iran, I had visited him. He was an ardent man, with pointed moustache, who, energetically, defended the national inheritance of his country. In November 1998, he and his wife Parvaneh were assassinated in their house. I missed my mind presence for a few seconds, but Bani Sadr was going on:

–         “A day after the June 28th bombing at Islamic Republic Party, Masud Rajavi’s men returned to me. I told them that I wanted to write a statement to reveal this terrorist action. They assured me that they had no interference in this one.

–         Who talked to you?

–         Maryam Rajavi’s brother, Mahmoud Azdanloo and Abbas Davali, they suggested to take me to one of their secret houses to provide my security. I accepted

(I didn’t say anything. Dispute was useless. But Samad Nazari [one of the defectors of MEK], in Sari, talked about  some relation between MEK and Bani Sadr before his dismissal.)

Bani Sadr continued:

–         I found myself in a one- storey building with four bedrooms and a bathroom. When needed, we used a secret exit to escape. I found out that Ashraf, Rajavi’s wife, was also hiding in that house.

–         You mean his first wife who was killed later?

–         Yes. One day, Rajavi came talked to me. He suggested to leave Iran with him. Firstly, I told him:”I’m the president of Iran and I have duties. If people participate in the next presidential election, I will stay. Otherwise I will leave my country with you.”  On 24th of July, 2.5 million people of the 40 million population, all over Iran voted. Therefore I said to Rajavi :” Now, we can go”. In Paris, after landing at the airport, I told a BBC reporter:” I left Iran to reveal the organized relation between Khomeini and militarism…”

–         Did you ask Rajavi for a guaranty?

–         Before leaving Iran, we signed a contract. It was based on three principals: political pluralism, individuals’ liberty and national independence. I had presented detailed explanation for each of these principals

(While saying these words, the phone range, BaniSadr went out of my sight for a few seconds.

The images of their flee, were parading in front of my eyes. Regarding to his connection with Rajavi, on July 28th, they  were presented in disguise at Tehran military airport. They took refuge in a fuel transport plane which was used for preparation of F14 in Iran Air Force. Clonelle Behzad Moezi was the commander of this section. He was Shah’s private pilot who was degraded by the revolution and he found it despising. The airplane changes its official direction in sky and crossed Iranian border and flew toward France.

      As soon as they arrived, they were granted political refugee status. During  those days, Francois Mitterand was ruling French fate. With no doubt, his wife, Danielle has played a part to make this decision. She was famous for her support of anybody who claimed Marxism. The fleeing ones, under protection of French authorities were settled in ” Auver sur d’Oise”. Rajavi had played his role well. Two days later, he established NCR (National Council of Resistance) of which one of the columns was BaniSadr due to his situation as the former president of Iran. Among the members of the council, there were also some independent personalities who opposed to Khomeini’s regime including Doctor Mansour Farhang, Bahman Niroumand, Mehdi Khan Baba , Doctor Naser Pakdaman. )

I had a question in my mind. when Bani Sadr came back, I asked him: “wasn’t it a risk to leave your country without knowing what is waiting for you and to fall yourself in trouble ?”

(His eyes hesitated behind his glasses. )

–         I had to accept the risk, just like a religious duty. You hope to success but you know the possibility of defeat. I said to Rajavi:”I didn’t sign any contract with Khomeini, because he was a religious leader. He should have undertaken his commitment but he didn’t. About you, I know your ideology is based on achieving power and establishing an absolute system. If you change this ideology for a better direction, freedom is the best direction. Therefore your organization is useful for the democracy in Iran. Otherwise, I will denounce everything.

–         However, you cooperated with him for three years

–         Actually, two years and a few months

–         On March 24, 1973, you separated from him officially. Although your daughter had married Masud. Here, we see the influence of a contract, the same as what was a custom among Feudal masters about their children’s marriage. What was the concept of this marriage?  

–         My daughter, Firouzeh, decided to sign  this contract. I was against due to many reasons. Besides, I don’t believe in mixing politics with personal relationship. I know how Rajavi acts. He talks so much, until he sees his listener, dispensed with his own idea, and tired of challenge, and finally he gets her agreement. At last I explained to my daughter that we would test Masud and we don’t know if he would engage his commitments. My daughter told that she wanted to renew this agreement with Masud. So I had to draw in her horn and respect her independence.

–         When did they get  married?

–         I’m a little confused about the dates. It must be a month before our separation. A few months after his first wife, Ashraf’s death.

I remember that I mentioned this to him, but he said:” Imam Ali got married immediately after his wife, Fatemeh’s death”. There were a few days left to Nowrouz. Therefore it was a short time before March 21st, 1982.

(To find out the dates, Bani Sadr talked to his assistant for a few words . I called the event to my mind. Masud Rajavi left his wife Ashraf Rabiee behind and fled from Iran. She was killed in an armed struggle against Iran security forces, with Musa Khiabani on February 8th , 1982. Musa Khiabani was the chief of Mujahedin in Iran. Masud had recently missed his wife and were planning for a new marriage.)

Bani Sadr resumed talking: You can write the date of the marriage March 1982.

–         When did they divorce?

–         In the late 1984.

–         Why?

–         One night, Firouzeh called me while crying and said :”Masud wants to take me to Iraq with himself. If I don’t go, he will divorce me. What shall I do?” I answered her:” you can decide yourself but if you want to undertake your engagement, you should divorce “. And so she did.

–         So their contacts with Iraq were started a little before their divorce.

–         Not at all. These contacts were much older. Every thing started in the early 1983. The same issue was the reason of our separation. 

Extrated from the book: Burned Alive

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