The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

Where will MEK enter Iran from?

Foreign Ministry spokesman of Iran Ramin Mehmanparast has recently expressed his concern over the possibilities of provision a shelter in Azerbaijan to anti-Islamic regime People’s Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) by the US and Israel.

Mehmanparast, at the same time, has warned that neighbors should take into account sensitiveness of this issue to Iran; otherwise Tehran’s response will be severe. Statement is not Where will MEK enter Iran from? by chance.

It is another proof that Tehran tries to take preventive measures as Iran’s statement is based on possibilities rather than true facts since West and Israel use Southern Azerbaijan national issue and internal and external anti-Iran regime in order to cause disorder in Iran.

MEK’s survival began from 2009 when MEK was removed from the EU list of terrorist group. Besides between 2005-2009 MEK trained in the US military bases.

In April a group of American politicians asked for removal of MEK from the list of terrorist group. Such progress of the events enables us to believe that the offer will be accepted by the White House:

»Official Tehran is concerned about MEK. This organization was established by Shah Pehlevi as a close power to him. As the organization was established on basis of interests, instead of ideas, it changed its position. MEK has strong support and reputation both in and outside of Iran. This is well-organized organization. Being not a nationalist group, it meets the demands of the west with regard to overthrow of political power of Iran».

MEK also has media organizations broadcasting in the US. Although its TV broadcasting has been stopped for a while, it is expected to restore its broadcast for political pressure over Iranian government.

In April of this year US New Yorker magazine reported that MEK had received standard training that included communications, cryptography, small-unit tactics and weaponry. The training in the U.S. took place at the Department of Energy’s Nevada National Security Site. The article also says that the purpose of the trainings was to commit terror attacks in Iran.

In order to penetrate into Iran MEK militants need to use territories of neighbor countries. However, permission of neighbor countries for it is not required. They may apply various methods that the terrorists use like entering different countries under different names through which they can enter Iran.

To settle such well-organized and trained armed groups within the territories of Azerbaijan is a dangerous as it might lead to destabilization in the country, as well as of statehood point of view. So, Azerbaijan itself would be interested in cooperation with Iran to prevent MEK militants from access to the country.

Reference – People’s Mujahedin of Iran was founded in 1965 by a group of leftist Iranian university students. Although the goal was to establish a socialist republic in Iran, they offered establishment of Tovhid society.

MEK carried out various terror attacks in Iran in the 1970s, then fought against Iran during Iran-Iraq war. Despite recognition of new regime following Islamic Revolution MEK chose to struggle against Islamic regime after being subject to terror and torture. Group’s armed wing is called National Liberation Army of Iran whose leader is Masoud Rajavi.

Gulnara Inanch, Turkishnews

July 9, 2012 0 comments

The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

Iraqi Deputy FM: Baghdad Resolved to Expel MKO

Iraq’s Deputy Foreign Minister Labeed Abawi underlined that presence of the anti-Iran terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO, also known as MEK, PMOI and NCR) in Iraq is illegal, raq's Deputy Foreign Minister Labeed Abawi reiterating that Baghdad is determined to expel the terrorist group.

Abawi said in a statement that MKO’s presence in Iraq does not meet the description of asylum, and stressed that Baghdad is determined to close the terrorist group’s main training base, Camp Ashraf, and drive MKO elements to another country.

He reiterated that MKO’s presence in Iraq has not justification, saying, "The elements of the MKO are illegal . They came to Iraq and were used by the former regime for military purposes, they are not refugees because according to the Iraqi law they don’t qualify for asylum."

The MKO, whose main stronghold is in Iraq, is blacklisted by much of the international community, including the United States.

Before an overture by the EU, the MKO was on the European Union’s list of terrorist organizations subject to an EU-wide assets freeze. Yet, the MKO puppet leader, Maryam Rajavi, who has residency in France, regularly visited Brussels and despite the ban enjoyed full freedom in Europe.

The MKO is behind a slew of assassinations and bombings inside Iran, a number of EU parliamentarians said in a recent letter in which they slammed a British court decision to remove the MKO from the British terror list. The EU officials also added that the group has no public support within Iran because of their role in helping Saddam Hussein in the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-1988).

Many of the MKO members abandoned the terrorist organization while most of those still remaining in the camp are said to be willing to quit but are under pressure and torture not to do so.

The group, founded in the 1960s, blended elements of Islamism and Stalinism and participated in the overthrow of the US-backed Shah of Iran in 1979. Ahead of the revolution, the MKO conducted attacks and assassinations against both Iranian and Western targets.

The group started assassination of the citizens and officials after the revolution in a bid to take control of the newly established Islamic Republic. It killed several of Iran’s new leaders in the early years after the revolution, including the then President, Mohammad Ali Rajayee, Prime Minister, Mohammad Javad Bahonar and the Judiciary Chief, Mohammad Hossein Beheshti who were killed in bomb attacks by MKO members in 1981.

The group fled to Iraq in 1986, where it was protected by Saddam Hussein and where it helped the Iraqi dictator suppress Shiite and Kurd uprisings in the country.

The terrorist group joined Saddam’s army during the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-1988) and helped Saddam and killed thousands of Iranian civilians and soldiers during the US-backed Iraqi imposed war on Iran.

Since the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the group, which now adheres to a pro-free-market philosophy, has been strongly backed by neo-conservatives in the United States, who also argue for the MKO to be taken off the US terror list.

July 8, 2012 0 comments

The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

Washington Asks Riyadh to Shelter MKO Terrorists

Sources in the Saudi opposition said that the US is in secret talks with Saudi Ambassador Adel Al-Jubeir to Washington to ask Riyadh to shelter members of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization Washington Asks Riyadh to Shelter MKO Terrorists (MKO) after the European countries refused to cooperate with the White House in this regard.

According to "Ashraf News" website, the sources pointed out that the negotiations between the US and Saudi Arabia are aimed at convincing Riyadh to host the elements of the terrorist group on the Saudi soil provided that Washington provides logistical support for the terrorist group.

The sources added that after the United States failed to convince the European countries to accept a resettlement of the MKO members in their territories, it resorted to the Persian Gulf countries, led by Saudi Arabia, to do so.

Yet, the sources mentioned that several Persian Gulf states, such as Bahrain, are both inappropriate places and opposed to the settlement of MKO in their countries.

According to the report, the MKO members in Iraq were "shocked" to see the European countries’ refusal after the terrorist group officially requested the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to prepare the ground for their resettlement in a European country.

The MKO is seriously seeking to transfer its members to another country, but no world state, including the US and the European countries, accept to lodge the terrorist group.

The US administration has been trying to station the terrorists in five neighboring countries of the Islamic Republic.

Authentic reports from sources privy to the MKO disclosed that the US administration is consulting with five of Iran’s neighboring states to persuade them into sheltering the MKO terrorists.

After nearly three decades, Iraq is now expelling the MKO from its soil, while no world country has accepted to shelter the terrorist group.

The US allies in the Middle-East, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Azerbaijan, Qatar and Pakistan, are likely to be the destination of the MKO terrorists, the sources added.

The sources also pointed out that Zionist lobbies are pressuring the US and Baku officials to station MKO terrorists in bases and desolated air fields, and added that the issue was a topic of recent discussions between Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman and Azeri officials.

Zionist lobbies are seeking to create Camp Ashraf-like conditions in Azerbaijan to save MKO from complete dissolution.

The MKO’s main stronghold was a training center called Camp Ashraf in Iraq’s Northern Diyala province, but the post-Saddam Iraq decided to close the camp specially due to the MKO’s massacre of Iraqi Shiites during the Saddam era and its terrorist operations against Iran in the last 33 years. Iraq started expelling the group a few months ago.

To date, almost 1200 MKO terrorists have been transferred from Camp Ashraf to Camp Liberty which lies Northeast of the Baghdad International Airport, in three groups of 400 each, on February 18, 8, and March 20. About 2,000 members still remain in Camp Ashraf. Camp Liberty is a transient settlement facility and a last station for the MKO in Iraq.

The MKO cannot find a shelter outside Iraq as it is blacklisted by much of the international community, including the United States.

July 3, 2012 0 comments

The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

Iraq: Camp Ashraf to be closed in coming days

Iranian envoy to Baghdad said Iraq’s crude output would be under the framework of OPEC quota.

All Mojahedin Khalq to be deported as their presence is against National security

Hassan Danai-Far referred to unilateral banking and oil sanctions imposed against Iran by the U.S. and EU and the replacement of Iran’s oil by some other countries, saying Iraq’s crude output would be under the framework of its OPEC quota.

Danai-Far told ISNA it is Saudi Arabia which seeks providing Iran’s replaced oil and tries to create smear campaign against Iran.

He referred to some media and individuals trying to disrupt Iran-Iraq relations, adding the existing ties between the two countries are satisfying and that the country has not made any decision on increasing its crude output more than its OPEC share.

He also referred to MKO terrorist group, saying, "As we know Iraqi government is determined to transfer and expel the group from the country and Camp Ashraf."

Iranian official noted two thirds of the group have been transferred to Camp Liberty, a placement for their transfer to other countries, and the rest would be transferred soon.

July 2, 2012 0 comments

The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

Dealing with Terrorism Conundrum in Iraq

The only rights to have been violated seem to be those of the terrorist MKO

The blight of terrorism cast on a society is enough to upset people’s life even if they are not direct targets of terrorist perpetrations. But despite the real and direct impact of terrorism on human rights and its devastating consequences on societies, the struggle of terrorist groups to enforce recognition of some rights on legal communities is far greater than that of the victims of terrorism to call for the protection of their rights in any way if they ever have any.

The flagrant violation of regulations by Mojahedin Khalq Organization MKO/MEK being overlooked, the Iraqi government and other international concerned auxiliary sides to peacefully settle the conundrum in Iraq has encountered never-ending complaints, demands and even warnings by the ringleaders. Even if the members of MKO were terrorist suspects, the Iraqi government considered their expulsion a preventive measure to protect its territory from individuals considered a security risk to the country and the nation. MKO, however, is not a suspect terrorist group but a globally blacklisted one acting as Saddam’s mercenaries in the era of his despotic rule over Iraq.

Neither exiles nor refugees, MKO is the most unwelcome leftover of Saddam’s tyranny whose expulsion the Iraqi government deems to be tantamount to a strict counter terrorism measure in a violence afflicted country. Since the fall of Saddam, The Iraqi government has been busy hunting down the remnants of his regime, with whom MKO has been undeniably reported to have established close connection. If fact, Camp Asharaf, under the protection of the coalition forces that left the internal control of the camp in the hands of the terrorists themselves, became a safe haven for a number of discontent insurgents and opponents loyal to Saddam or fed by external hands to prevent the advance of order and freedom in the country.

However, there is a widespread speculation that despite being blacklisted a terrorist group; multitudes of its members have been deceived into joining the group advertised as a freedom fighter or the starting platform devoted to provide an easy, successful life in European countries. In reality, most of them are vulnerable individuals of a society and victims of a general naivety that terrorist groups and cults take advantage of them to recruit and enslave. Needless to say that a universal consensus confirms, according to undeniable evidences revealed by the defected members of MKO, the painful and bitter truth that MKO is absolutely a terrorist cult of personality run by the wife-husband Rajavies.

The Iraqi government is actually acting to accomplish two indispensable jobs simultaneously by its decision to expel MKO; to uproot the possible threat of a foreign terrorist group and to unshackle the enslaved insiders of a terrorist cult. It is a universal responsibility to help Iraqi government in the task to fulfill. Whilst the rights of the Iraqi government have to be recognized at the regional level, they have not so far been fully protected on the international plane, to provide for the nation an opportunity of enjoying an unprejudiced, peaceful and secure life, it offers an opportunity to the trammeled insiders of MKO to regain their freedom.

But, alas, the policy of appeasement has emboldened MKO to refuse accomplishment of a justified sine qua non. The only rights to have been violated seem to be those of the terrorist MKO; it freely holds rallies and gatherings in the heart of European countries, as held on June 23 in Villepinte, Paris, confidently accusing the US of shirking to remove its terrorist tag and calling for the protection of its bastion in Iraq. But hardly anything serious has been done yet to protect the violated rights of a nation calling to have their home free of violence and disorder. And hardly any ear has heard the desperate cries of help from within the cult that simply fad out in the propaganda ado of MKO.

By N. Morgan

June 26, 2012 0 comments

The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

No Hope for MKO in Internal Political Conflicts

MKO is mistaken that a change of government in Iraq could rebound to its advantage

The Iraqi government is absolutely conclusive to close the military bastion of the ousted Saddam’s mercenaries, Mojahedin Khalq Organization MKO, and expel its members altogether from its soil by July 20, the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The preliminary phase to carry the job through is to relocate them, under United Nations and Iraqi government auspices, to a transit camp near Baghdad airport to undergo refugee process processed and be eventually re-settled to countries in Europe and other countries that will receive them. Some 2,000 MEK members have been transferred from Camp Ashraf since the process began, but none have moved since May 5. Although the chief impediment to have halted relocation is reported to be implausible excuses invented by MKO, frequent change of demands and asking too much, but there are other possibilities as well.

Following the reports of the possibility of a no-confidence vote against Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, MKO might have concluded that a change of government in Iraq could rebound to its advantage. As a result, the group halted its cooperation in the relocation process waiting to witness a possible collapse of Maliki’s government. However, so far all those who thought Maliki would be subject to a no-confidence vote have been disappointed.

Whatever will be the outcome of the political conflict in Iraq is an internal issue. But one thing is for certain that MKO is gravely mistaken to think that any Iraqi government, be it Maliki’s or another’s, will allow it to remain on Iraqi soil. Decisiveness to expel the group is a national demand and a constitutional decision rather than personal. The Iraq’s constitution prohibits presence of any terrorist organization on its soil (Article 7 of the constitution). The Iraqi government recognizes MKO as a terrorist organization, as it is on the US terror list and some other countries.

June 21, 2012 0 comments

The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

Iraq Camp Relocation Problematic For Iran’s MEK

The U.S. State Department on Tuesday warned Iranian exile group Mujahideen-e Khalq, or MEK, to comply with its relocation from Iraq’s Camp Ashraf to Camp Hurriya if it hopes to be removed from the United States’ list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

"The United States remains concerned about the situation at Camp Ashraf and urges the residents of Camp Ashraf to resume full cooperation immediately with the Iraqi government and United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

"The peaceful closure of Camp Ashraf is achievable but requires continued patience and practical engagement to be realized. Constructive offers must be met with a constructive spirit and not with refusals or pre-conditions to engage in dialogue."

The State Department has held the transition over MEK’s head for half a year, saying a peaceful move and cooperation with American and Iraqi authorities could get it off the terrorist list.

Washington believes that the eviction is necessary for humanitarian reasons since Ashraf has long been considered a refugee camp. So far, around 2,000 MEK members have successfully moved to the Iraqi-run Camp Hurriya, formerly Camp Liberty, in Baghdad. But another 1,200 to 1,400 are still in Ashraf, and the relocation is stalled, with MEK threatening to leave them behind if the conditions in Hurriya are not approved.

MEK — sometimes known as the People’s Mujahedin of Iran, or PMOI — has been on the foreign terrorist list for the last 15 years and is desperately trying to be removed. The group was exiled from Iran after the Islamic Revolution and fled to Iraq, as well as across Europe, under the guidance of leaders Massoud and Maryam Rajavi. The group allegedly helped Saddam Hussein during the Iraq-Iran war and has in the past been linked to various bombings and assassinations inside Iran.

However, MEK and the National Council of Resistance of Iran, an umbrella organization for Iranian exiles run by Miryam Rajavi, insist that the group is now only a political organization and refugee group. All of MEK’s weapons were confiscated by the American government years ago, and it has renounced its former violence.

Over the past few years, MEK, with help from a slate of American supporters that includes an all-star list of former top officials, have campaigned to be removed from the terrorist list, going as far as filing a suit with a U.S. appeals court to force Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to make a decision about MEK’s status within four months.

Nonetheless, a number of MEK members have seized the move from Ashraf to Hurriya as an opportunity to defect, revealing troubling details about the organization in the process. One of the first, according to the Sahar Family Foundation, a nongovernmental organization that says it provides humanitarian assistance to those who leave Ashraf, was Ali Reza Rahmati, who was in MEK for 10 years.

"I am extremely happy, and I thank God that I could obtain my freedom. I did not even have the right of free-thinking, and I was under the constant pressure and mental torture," Rahmati stated. "Now I feel the love of life’s revival inside of me, which was dead for 10 years, and I feel great satisfaction of this."

Ehsan Bidi, who also defected from the MEK and "declared separation" from "the corrupt Cult of Rajavi," compared his time in the refugee camp to being imprisoned and admitted that he had tried to escape before. Eight-year MEK member Sirous Morsalpour said that he was twice shot in the stomach — once in 2009 and once in 2012 — but was not permitted to have surgery outside of Camp Ashraf despite requests and the severity of the injuries. Morsalpour said that after he continued to insist on going to a hospital, "I was told that I was fired."

"They handed me to Iraqi police to get rid of me," he declared as he left the group.

The highest-ranking Mujahedeen to escape was Qorban Ali Husseini Nezhad, a 30-year member who was part of the MEK’s foreign affairs team, as well as a translator. Nezhad escaped after arriving in Camp Liberty in April and, like the rest of the defectors, described MEK more as a cult than a terrorist organization.

However, confirming long-held suspicions, Nezhad also said that thanks to deals between Saddam and Massoud Rajavi, MEK spied for Iraq’s intelligence service and received payment from the ill-conceived oil-for-food program.

By Daniel Tovrov

June 20, 2012 0 comments

The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

MKO Facing a Dilemma in Iraq

MKO will eventually yield to the universal demand of fully relocation to the temporary transit center

The problem with Mojahedin Khalq Organization MKO/MEK is that it defines any made gesture of MKO Facing a Dilemma in Iraq humanitarian, goodwill or sympathy towards it as a granted statutory right that has to be recognized and fought for universally. The relationship between the group’s American advocates and the leadership, now led by the Paris-based Maryam Rajavi, has led both to pursue strategies that neglect the dire risks of sabotaging the agreed move from Camp Ashraf to the temporary transit center near Baghdad.

In fact, the UN and the State Department’s efforts to peacefully solve the humanitarian crisis of Ashraf residents is made difficult due to the MKO’s strong base of support amongst the sympathetic American supporters whose words are seized as recognized rights. In recent weeks, some former officials and politicians, many of whom admit to being paid by MKO or one of its many affiliates, have mounted a sophisticated media campaign accusing the UN and the US of forcing dislocation of the group to live in subhuman conditions against its will at the temporary transit center, an accusation the group badly needs to feed its propaganda machine and to refuse sending the remaining groups as planned.

However, MKO is dragging its heels waiting for a miracle to happen, but he is also reluctant to assassinate the opportunity that seemingly opens up following the closure of Camp Ashraf. Probably MKO will yield to the universal demand of fully relocation to the temporary transit center. That is at least for three reasons.

Despite still being officially considered a terrorist group, the US has sort of taken MKO under its wing, first by opening up a former US base in Iraq for its members to be settled until they are sent to a third country that might receive them. But as they cannot stay at the base permanently, and as they may not be welcome by a third country because the group is on the US terror list, the US may de-list it, and will possibly interfere to be settled in an allied country. The Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has already given the green light:

“Given the ongoing efforts to relocate the residents, MeK cooperation in the successful and peaceful closure of Camp Ashraf, the MeK’s main paramilitary base, will be a key factor in any decision regarding the MEK’s FTO status”.

Second, an attorney for MKO urged a three-judge panel on the US Court of Appeals to compel the State Department to comply with a previous order, and to make a decision on de-listing of the group in a timely manner. Robert Loeb, the State Department’s lawyer, argued that lack of total unfettered access to MKO’s base demands more deliberation and time to reach a final decision. Loeb argued questions still remain whether the group harbor weapons inside the base and thus retain the “capacity” to launch attacks. Once the base is completely emptied, a decision on MKO’s status could be made within 60 days after relocation completes.

That is the point even the curt considered when it issued the latest order giving the Secretary of State four months to issue a final determination or it would grant MKO’s writ of mandamus setting aside the FTO designation. The final part of the ruling clearly states that:

“We arrive at the four-month deadline in part because four months should allow enough time for the completion of PMOI’s move from Camp Ashraf, the monitoring of which the Secretary claims will be exceptionally useful for its determination, id. at 20-21, as well as time to complete the process of analysis, judgment and explication.”

Thus, anything depends on vacation of Camp Ashraf and the golden opportunity that is the key to its survival is just lies within the walls of transit center. Will it lose it for prolongation of a situation stuck in limbo in Iraq?

June 9, 2012 0 comments

The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

Procrastination, the Fancied Chance of MKO

There is no formula to banish MKO’s procrastination that has delayed the process of transfer

The best way to get something done as easy as possible is to begin it in due course, but if you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it. Everything is ready according to already reached agreements to relocate the sixth group of Mojahedin Khalq Organization MKO/MEK members residing at Camp Ashraf to the Temporary Transit Location TTL near Baghdad. But so far there has been found no magic formula to banish MKO’s procrastination excuses that has delayed the process of transfer. However, MKO has no other option but to get past procrastination founded on ungrounded excuses otherwise it will be swimming against the current it has already set running itself.

There is not plenty of time for MKO and it is well aware of the fact that despite it is procrastinating, it will eventually have to actually submit to the transfer of the reminders. Massoud Rajavi, the leader of the group, in his message addressed to residents before the transfer of the third group, asked them to abide by the promises to be relocated to TTL; however, he never terms it transfer or relocation but “battle”: “today you have fought your first and second battles and two groups have already gone to Liberty. Now we are getting ready to fire the third big shot to send the third group. Congratulations!”

Thus, MKO considers the peaceful and humanitarian issue of relocation another battle that has to be fought to the end. And of course, a battle is not an easy job to accomplish and must be made as hard as possible for those on the opposite front. Asserted by the US officials even before the relocation began, who testified before the House Foreign Affairs Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, that efforts to peacefully resolve the standoff are being rebuffed by MKO leadership. The US Special Adviser on Camp Ashraf Daniel Fried also said “MEK leadership has impeded a refugee resettlement process and interfered with the UN’s ability to conduct interviews with individuals at the encampment”.

Calling it a battle or anything else, Rajavi has no other option but to let it be accomplished and all the residents be fully relocated to TTL because. Even those the group expects protection from voice that relocation of residents it is a humanitarian issue that should be made as easy and peaceful as possible to accomplish. In December 2011, Ambassador Daniel Fried, Special Advisor for Camp Ashraf for the State Department, made the cause clear and promised to monitor the process of the transfer: “Embassy Baghdad will visit former Camp Liberty on a frequent basis to provide robust observation. The US seeks a safe, secure, humane resolution. Our interest is humanitarian”. And the promise has been kept so far both by the US and UN as well as by the Iraqi government.

Immediately after that announcement, however, MKO advocates argued that the group should be allowed to stay at Ashraf beyond the agreement. And now, it has become evident that MKO is obstructing the process. The big impediment to the process is the group itself that turns a humanitarian issue into a subject for dispute and battle. That is how MKO defines “good will gesture” when Maryam Rajavi, living far from the regional afflictions and hardships of Iraq in the cool, luxurious comfort of her residence in France, agreed to relocate residents as a goodwill gesture.

Some say Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin. That is true from the angle that by refusal of transferring Ashraf residents MKO is assassinating their granted opportunity of regaining their freedom. But the group will also lose the opportunity of the promised immediate post-relocation interests atop of which stands its removal from the terror list. But there is none if MKO is expecting for the better. Although it is acknowledged that the MKO leadership can be helpful in reaching a humanitarian resolution, which he completely disregards, he has unilaterally resisted de-politicization of Camp Ashraf and grabbed at a vague, faint hope that procrastination is the fancied chance to retard the progress of losing members. He just keeps putting off complying to make it hard both for the insiders and outsiders.

June 7, 2012 0 comments

The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

Possibility of Relocating MKO to Azerbaijan

Iran and Eurasia Research Center (IRAS): Not long after the conclusion of a military contract

Possibility of Relocating MKO to Azerbaijan: Iran’s Considerations and Concerns

between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Israel, possible transfer of some members of the terrorist Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) to that country has once more highlighted tensions in Tehran’s relations with Baku. Although there was nothing new about this issue and previous news dispatches had already been reported by global mass media, a more serious reaction shown by spokesman the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows that Iran will by no means accept such a measure to be taken by its northern neighbor. What concerns Tehran more is unconfirmed reports about effective role of Israel in transfer of MKO members from Iraq to Azerbaijan.

The Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization, which is called Monafeqin Khalq [Hypocrite People] Organization in the political jargon of the Islamic Republic of Iran, is the most serious and the most organized group opposing the Islamic Republic of Iran. The main issue which has drawn attention from political, security, and media circles both in and out of Iran to this political and military organization is possible transfer of its members from Camp Ashraf in Iraq to a third country. After Western coalition entered into war against the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003, Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization signed a contract with the American forces according to which the organization was supposed to gather all its arms in a single spot. Also, its members were supposed to be settled at Camp Ashraf which is the main headquarters of the organization.

Since Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization had remained impartial through 2003 war with the Western coalition, they were granted “protected persons” status after the war according to the Fourth Geneva Convention. This situation continued until 2008 and although operations and maneuvering room of the organization had been greatly restricted within Iraq, they were still positioned at their main headquarters, that is, Camp Ashraf, and continued their activities.

As the incumbent government of Iraq and the United States reached an agreement for the withdrawal of the American troops from Iraq in 2008, control of Camp Ashraf was transferred from the US Army to the Iraqi military. This was the beginning of a very serious confrontation between MKO and high-ranking political and security authorities of Iraq. That confrontation reached its climax on April 8, 2011, when Iraq’s security forces attacked Camp Ashraf, killing more than 34 MKO members and leaving more than 70 injured.

Following that conflict, the Iraqi government asked the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization to leave Iraq by the end of 2011. After extensive mediation by the US government and some international organizations, the deadline was extended to 2012 in order to provide necessary grounds for the ouster of the MKO. After the beginning of 2012, evacuation of MKO members from Camp Ashraf was started in five stages. The first stage was implemented on February 18, 2012 and the fifth stage took place on May 4, 2012. During the five stages, more than 400 of the MKO members were temporarily transferred to Camp Liberty on the outskirts of Baghdad. The transfer led to widespread speculations about the final destination of the organization outside Iraq. In the meantime, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia were widely mentioned by various media as the next host of the MKO. Out of the five countries, Jordan was considered the most probable country to host the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization as the organization had said in a statement that instead of Camp Liberty, it preferred to take its forces to Jordan. However, later announcement of Azerbaijan that it is ready to settle MKO members drew international attention to Baku.

This measure by Baku in parallel to other reports about presence of the elements of anti-Iranian terrorist PJAK group in Ganja city, bolstered speculations about possible relocation of a large part of MKO members to Azerbaijan. Out of five countries (Azerbaijan, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia) which had been mentioned as possible destinations of the organization, Azerbaijan has unique characteristics which make it very important not only to the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization, but also to countries that support it, especially Israel and the United States.

Azarbaijan has land borders with Iran. Therefore, if the MKO is positioned in a neighboring region with Iran, a new model of Camp Ashraf which was only 80 km from Iran’s border with Iraq may be repeated. Such close proximity to the Iranian border, which is of high importance to achieving political, military and security goals of the organization, cannot be realized in other countries such as Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, Azerbaijan has experienced the worst tensions and challenges with Iran in the past two years. Extensive intelligence and security cooperation with Israel and allowing Tel Aviv to establish radar and espionage systems on Azerbaijani soil made Shimon, an Israeli spy agent, to tell The Times of London that Azerbaijan “is ground zero for (Israel’s) intelligence work…. Our presence here is quiet, but substantial. We have increased our presence in the past year, and it gets us very close to Iran. This is a wonderfully porous country.” This has been a major source of tension in Tehran’s relations with Baku. The government of Azerbaijan, however, has so far taken no practical step to dispel the existing misunderstandings between Tehran and Baku. In line with the same policy, unconfirmed reports have been published about very effective role played by Israel in relocation of MKO members from Iraq to Azerbaijan. Based on those reports, the issue has been raised in recent negotiations between the Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Azeri officials in late April.

It is also possible that MKO members will be settled in one of the four abandoned airbases which Israel has bought from Azerbaijan under conditions which would resemble Camp Ashraf. By gathering MKO members in a single place again, they are trying to prevent total collapse of the main body of the organization and also provide an opportunity for intelligence and security control over Iran. Therefore, the existing conditions in Azerbaijan, including geographic propinquity to Iran, severe political and security tension and challenges with Iran (especially in the past two years), as well as extensive intelligence and military cooperation with Israel cannot be compared to conditions in other countries like Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

Disclosure of contradictory reports about possible relocation of MKO members to Azerbaijan has evoked vehement reactions from high-ranking political and security officials of Iran. In the most serious reaction, Ramin Mehmanparast, spokesman of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “Our position on Monafeqin (Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization) is quite clear. This grouplet has very dark records in crime and in addition to assassinating about 16,000 Iranian officials and people, has committed many crimes in Iraq and hatred of Iraqi people toward them is quite evident. If there is a Zionist – American plan to settle them in regional countries, [they should know that] we are highly sensitive toward this issue and will show severe reaction. We hope that neighboring countries will note our sensitivity and do not do anything to damage their good relations with Iran by taking measures which will have very negative consequences for them.”

After a visit to Iran by Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister Colonel General Safar Abiyev in March 2012, and clear statements by Azeri officials about Azerbaijan being a small country which will not even think about enmity toward a big country like Iran, tensions between Tehran and Baku expected to abate. However, after the possibility of transferring MKO members from Iraq to Azerbaijan, and relocation of PJAK from Turkey to Azerbaijan increased, a new round of tension started between the two countries.

High-ranking political and security officials of Azerbaijan are well aware of Iran’s high sensitivity to these two terrorist organizations, especially the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization and they can easily predict the outlook and consequences of such a measure. Therefore, if the government of Azerbaijan really seeks to reduce tension and improve relations with Iran, it is necessary for them to adopt a transparent media policy by officially denying the existing conflicting reports instead of blaming them on political and media circles of Armenia. They should also take practical steps to reduce tension and improve relations between the two countries by reassuring Iran’s political and security officials.

This is the only way to expand relations between two neighboring countries of Iran and Azerbaijan in all fields. However, taking such provocative measures as increasing intelligence and defense cooperation with Israel and declaring readiness to accept terrorist members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization, will have no other effect, but to intensify misunderstandings and differences between the two countries and will not help to meet mutual interests of Iranian and Azeri nations.
Friday, May 18, 2012

By Vali Kouzegar Kaleji
Researcher of Eurasia Studies Group at the Center for Strategic Research, Tehran

May 27, 2012 0 comments

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