Protests in Tehran against EU removing PMOI group from terror list
Hundreds of Iranian students, pupils and families of veterans of the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) staged a protest gathering in Tehran Sunday against the decision by European Union foreign ministers to remove the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI) from their list of terrorist organizations.
The crowd first gathered in front of the French embassy in Tehran and shouted slogans against France and the EU for their intention to approve the decision in favour of the PMOI at a meeting Monday in Brussels.
The official news agency IRNA reported that a similar protest gathering was to be held later Sunday in front of the German embassy in Tehran but according to the demonstrators themselves, the next protest gathering would be on Monday in front of the British embassy.
The EU move followed a ruling by the European Court in Luxembourg, which in December said the EU was wrong to keep the PMOI’s assets frozen after it was taken off a British list of terrorist organizations.
Iran regards PMOI as a terror group due to its involvement in the assassinations of several high-ranking Iranian officials, including the president and prime minister in 1980.
After the group was expelled from France in the 1980s, former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein allocated a military base to the PMOI near the border with Iran.
Before the ouster of Saddam, the PMOI frequently infiltrated Iranian territory, leading to clashes with Iranian forces and casualties on both sides.
Middle East
Two Iranian exiles detained on Sunday. Iran is demanding that Finland extradite two Iranian men whom it accuses of being members of the MKO organisation, which it considers a terrorist group.
The two were stopped while entering Finland on Sunday.
The chairwoman of the Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, Heidi Hautala (Green) says that the men came to Finland to take part in preparations for the visit of the organisation’s leader Maruam Rajavi, who was invited to Finland by the Parliament’s human rights group.
Officials held the two at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport on the basis of an international arrest warrant issued by Interpol.
Helsingin Sanomat has learned that the warrant was issued at the request of Iran. There was no suspicion that the two would commit crimes while in Finland.
The police kept the two in custody from Sunday until the Wednesday court hearing.
Police asked the court to allow the two to be kept in jail until Finland decides on Iran’s extradition request.
The court let the men go, but they were ordered not to leave the country.
The Ministry of Justice will decide on the extradition request. Helsingin Sanomat was not able to reach Minister of Justice Tuija Brax (Green).
“It is very dangerous to let them go even for a short time, as they can flee. The Finns are not used to these kinds of people”, said Iranian Ambassador Reza Nazarahari to Helsingin Sanomat on Wednesday evening.
He says that the two should be handed over to Iran to face trial (…)
Helsingin Sanomat, Finland
Section: General News – Iran strongly condemned the United States for double standards in its treatment of terrorist groups such as the MKO.
"The Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) is blacklisted as a terrorist organization by many countries. The US State Department has also identified the group as a foreign terrorist organization," Iran’s mission to the UN said in a letter to The Chicago Tribune published on Tuesday.
The letter added, "It is regrettable, and certainly a sign of outright double standards, that the US shelters this terrorist group. US media give its spokespeople free space to disseminate their political propaganda."
The MKO launched terrorist operations against Iran following the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88). The group is also known to have cooperated with Iraq’s US-backed former dictator Saddam Hossein in suppressing the 1991 uprisings in southern Iraq and the massacre of Iraqi Kurds.
The terrorist organization has claimed responsibility for numerous terror attacks against Iranian officials and civilians.
In October, Seyed Mohammad Javad Hasheminejad, head of the Iranian based human rights group, Habilian Association, accused US military forces in Iraq of colluding with the MKO to "address the interests of America".
"The US has entered into a contract with the MKO, declaring this terrorist organization as being protected by the international law," he said, adding that such double standards have led to the protection of terrorists by America in the past five years.
Whilst ostensibly keeping the MKO on its terror list, the US recently granted citizenship to 16 leading members of the group and according to a senior Iraqi lawmaker, the US is studying the records of certain MKO members to select those who may help American forces pursue their anti-Iran goals.
Tuesday’s letter to The Chicago Tribune stated, "It is imperative that the next US administration recognizes the true nature of individuals and groups that purport to speak for democracy and yet have a discredited record of violence, suppression of internal dissent and dangerous, totalitarian ideology."
A change in the US attitude toward such groups would be ‘a positive step’ forward in the fight against global terrorism, added the letter, concluding, "These groups lack the slightest legitimacy in the eyes of the Iranian people because of their common cause with the enemies of Iran."
The MKO, whose main stronghold is in Iraq, is blacklisted by much of the international community, including the United States.
The MKO is on the European Union’s list of terrorist organizations subject to an EU-wide assets freeze, and has been designated by the US government as a foreign terrorist organization. Yet, the MKO puppet leader, Maryam Rajavi, who has residency in France, regularly visits Brussels and despite the ban enjoys 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).
A May 2005 Human Rights Watch report accused the MKO of running prison camps in Iraq and committing human rights violations.
According to Human Rights Watch report, the outlawed group puts defectors under torture and jail terms.
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.
Leaders of the group have been fighting to shed its terrorist tag after a series of bloody anti-Western attacks in the 1970s, and nearly 30 years of violent struggle against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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.
The MKO has been in Iraq’s Diyala province since the 1980s. – FNA
Hatred towards the Mojahedin Terrorists is an indication of close ties between the people of Iran and Iraq
In a meeting with a number of Iraqi cultural figures as well as academicians in Tehran on Monday, Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani said, "From the start of the US and other occupiers’ invasion of Iraq, we described the military campaign as a ‘quandary.’ Now, years after the assault, the occupiers are in reality mired in Iraq’s quagmire."
"Colonial acceptance has no place in Muslim states particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan and if the occupiers seek to linger in these two countries under any pretext, they should satisfy public demands," he added.
According to Press TV, the Chairman of Iran’s Expediency Council meanwhile termed the Iraqi nation as prudent and resistant, adding that the high turnout of Iraqis at the parliamentary elections was a true representative of their commitment to Islamic values.
He noted that Tehran calls for Iraq’s perseverance of territorial integrity as well as the establishment of stability and tranquility in the war-torn country.
Hashemi Rafsanjani meanwhile called on Iraqi scholars and academician to seal a bright future for their country through teaching and training Iraqi students.
The Ayatollah also referred to the Iranian and Iraqi nations’ hatred towards the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) as an indication of close ties and feelings between the officials and people of the two countries.
The MKO, whose main stronghold is in Iraq, is blacklisted by much of the international community, including the United States.
The MKO is on the European Union’s list of terrorist organizations subject to an EU-wide assets freeze, and has been designated by the US government as a foreign terrorist organization. Yet, the MKO puppet leader, Maryam Rajavi, who has residency in France, regularly visits Brussels and despite the ban enjoys 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).
A May 2005 Human Rights Watch report accused the MKO of running prison camps in Iraq and committing human rights violations.
According to Human Rights Watch report, the outlawed group puts defectors under torture and jail terms.
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.
Leaders of the group have been fighting to shed its terrorist tag after a series of bloody anti-Western attacks in the 1970s, and nearly 30 years of violent struggle against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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 was 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.
The MKO has been in Iraq’s Diyala province since the 1980s. – FNA
Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Jordan’s Ambassador to Tehran Ahmad Jalal al-Mefleh on Saturday to voice Iran’s protest against Amman’s support for the terrorist group, Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization, and participation of the Arab country’s officials at an MKO banquet in Paris.
The Jordan’s ambassador was asked to obtain explanation from his country officials.
The Jordanian envoy, for his part, vowed to convey Iran’s protest to his country’s officials.
Al-Mefleh said Jordan’s foreign minister, on the sidelines of NAM foreign ministers meeting in Tehran, had stressed that the country does not recognize the terrorist group.
He emphasized that the Kingdom severed ties with the MKO in 1998.
A total of 33 Jordanian officials, including the vice-speaker and 11 other members of the country’s parliament, took part in a rally organized by the MKO in Paris in June.
The rally was aimed to mount pressure on the European Union to remove the MKO from the EU’s terrorist list.
The MKO, whose main stronghold is in Iraq, is blacklisted by much of the international community, including the United States.
The MKO is on the European Union’s list of terrorist organizations subject to an EU-wide assets freeze, and has been designated by the US government as a foreign terrorist organization.
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 Iran-Iraq war.
A May 2005 Human Rights Watch report accused the MKO of running prison camps in Iraq and committing human rights violations.
According to Human Rights Watch report, the outlawed group puts defectors under torture and jail terms.
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.
Leaders of the group have been fighting to shed its terrorist tag after a series of bloody anti-Western attacks in the 1970s, and nearly 30 years of violent struggle against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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.
Along with at least six other sites in Iraq, Camp Ashraf was given to the MKO as their headquarters and training site by the former Iraqi dictator.
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.
The MKO has been in Iraq’s Diyala province since the 1980s. The future of the MKO in Iraq is uncertain and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has said he is looking for ways to end their presence.
The Iraqi government and parliament have given the terrorist group six months to leave the country.
Iran mulls repatriation for members of dissident group in Iraq – envoy Iran’s Ambassador to Baghdad comments on a recent ultimatum issued by the Iraqi government giving the Iranian dissident group Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) six months to leave the country. In an interview with Iranian state television (IRTV1) Hasan Kazemi-Qomi said, "Apart from their criminal leadership, many members of this little group are repentant and regretful. In the past couple of years we have witnessed a number of them repatriated and returned to their families. What they explained is a picture of dejection and suffering. Many have endured hardship and they would have taken any opportunity to remove themselves from this grouplet earlier had it been available. Currently, many of them those who were duped and are repentant, would like to return to Iran and we would have to review this matter. "
BBC Monitoring Middle East
Despite a UK court ruling to lift a ban on Mojahedin Khalq terrorists, Iran has no plans to lower its diplomatic presence
Despite a UK court ruling to lift a ban on MKO terrorists, Iran says it currently has no plans to lower its diplomatic presence in Britain.
Iran’s ambassador to London briefed the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission in the Majlis on Sunday, causing members of Parliament to call on the government to reconsider the extent of relations between the two countries.
UK support for the outlawed terrorist group, the MKO and its failure to curb drug cultivation in Afghanistan were the main grievances expressed by the lawmakers.
In his weekly press conference on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hassan Qashqavi told reporters that although the Ministry respects the recommendations of the parliamentarians, it ‘currently has no such plan on its agenda’.
Iran-Britain relations ventured into troubled waters after the British government decided to grant knighthood to author Salman Rushdie, despite the publication of his controversial book, The Satanic Verses, which sparked worldwide outrage in the late 1980s.
Iran described the knighthood as ‘a blatant example of the anti-Islamism of senior British officials’. Top officials from certain Muslim countries also called on their government to sever ties with London.
In a recent move, Britain removed the banned Mujahedeen Khalq Organization (MKO) from its blacklist of terror organizations. The MKO has committed acts of aggression against both Iranian and Iraqi nationals and remains banned by the European Union and the United States.
According to the Iranian Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Britain has been provided ample evidence of MKO involvement in terrorist operations against the Iranian nation.
"They have even met with some of the victims of the MKO terrorist acts. Still, the London Appeals Court has permitted a dangerous terrorist group to operate in Britain," reads a letter by the Head of the Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi to his counterpart in the British parliament, Mike Gapes.
‘ font-size: 10pt”>Iran commentary speaks on consequence of UK’s de-listing of group (Mojahedin Khalq, Rajavi cult)
‘ font-size: 10pt”>Text of commentary by Abbas Haji-Najjari under the "Aperture" column headlined: "Playing on burnt-out grounds" published by Iranian newspaper Iran website on 6 July
‘ font-size: 10pt”>The American and British failure in containing the Islamic revolution movement and the ever increasing role of Iran in regional and international developments has led them to consider all possible alternatives against the Islamic revolution and has forced Britain to resort to a burnt-out element which is "Munafeqin" [Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization -MKO]. This requires a closer look because the British were famous for their "wisdom" and "ingenuity" in politics.
‘ font-size: 10pt”>Britain has recently eliminated the name of MKO from its terrorist groups list and has accepted their exiled elements dismissed from Iraq and has granted them media coverage and "political opportunities" to turn them to one of the opposition groups against the Iranian government and use them according to its political and security goals.
‘ font-size: 10pt”>Few points should be made in this regard:
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1- During recent years and following the invasion of Iraq by the American forces, the invaders tried to support and reinforce this group in Iraq in spying against Iran and confronting the forces and groups who supported Iran; but the internal conflicts of this group and the hatred of the Iraqi people because of their collaboration with Saddam Hussayn, in suppressing the Iraqi opposition, outdated this groups as a useful tool for Americans and prepared the ground for their move from Iraq.
‘ font-size: 10pt”>
2- Before the Iraqi government’s resolution ordering the MKO to go out of Iraq, the US and several European countries tried to find a place to accommodate the MKO, but because of their background and the hatred of the Iranian people, none of the Asian and African and even Latin American countries accepted them.
‘ font-size: 10pt”>
3- Finally because of the services of this group to the Western interests against the system of Islamic Republic of Iran, they decided to transfer them to European countries, especially Britain and France.
‘ font-size: 10pt”>
4- Considering the fact that this group was listed in terrorist groups in the British government’s list, the parliament of this country, in an "anticipated" manner, cleared their name from the list and prepared the ground for their leaders and key elements to go to Britain.
‘ font-size: 10pt”>
5- The simultaneous steps taken by the British government in imposing economic sanctions against Iran and the Iranian Bank Melli, in order to increase people’s dissatisfaction in Iran, at the same time as using the MKO, depicts a dual role for this group in the present situation:
‘ font-size: 10pt”>a. Creating an atmosphere against Iran by using every possible means, especially the human rights issue, and organizing demonstrations and meetings.
‘ font-size: 10pt”>b. Trying to incite social movements inside the country by exaggerating some social problems and dissatisfaction and starting a new round of terrors and insecurity in the country.
‘ font-size: 10pt”>
6- Considering the second hand role of Britain in this respect and the role of the US as the principle player, this game is like playing on a burnt-out ground which is doomed to failure because:
‘ font-size: 10pt”>a. The MKO, due to its previous record in treason and crime, is hated in Iraq and Iran and by the Iranian people.
‘ font-size: 10pt”>b. The MKO, because of their terrorist nature has no support among oppositions groups and Iranians outside the country.
‘ font-size: 10pt”>c. The internal crisis of this group and the passive role of its members, who remain in Iraq despite the transfer of their leaders to Europe, makes it very difficult for this group to move. Recently, citing the coalition forces commander in Iraq, the BBC reported that several members of the MKO have abandoned their base in Iraq and are living in bad conditions.
‘ font-size: 10pt”>Iran website –Translated by BBC Monitoring Middle East,
Iran: States involved in Mojahedin Khalq (Rajavi cult, MKO, MEK,…) removal from terrorists’ list are accomplices in its crimes
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here Friday that countries involved in 
removing the terrorist Mujahideen Khalq Organization (MKO) from the terrorists’ list are accomplices in the terrorist crimes committed by the grouplet.
“Any country moving officially in line with removal of the MKO from the terrorists’ list will from the view point of Iran and Iranians be an accomplice in the terrorist acts taken by the grouplet,”Mottaki told IRNA prior to leaving New York.
He said,”Surely, such a move is condemned and we reserve the right to follow necessary procedures and lodge complaint against the country supporting terrorism.”
He went on to say,”The cowardly move of clearing the MKO’s name from the terrorists’ list started from Britain and definitely such a cowardly effort will have no impact on our people’s attitude and the nature and position of the terrorist group.”
He noted that the MKO is the most notorious groups in the eyes of Iranian people due to its crimes during the Sacred Defense era (1980-88) and assassination of personalities and officials as well as thousands of innocent citizens.
“The MKO will continue to be regarded as a terrorist group by survivors of the victims of its terrorist measures and the Iranian nation.”
He said terrorism, in any form, is condemned and equal and indiscriminate approach should be shown against it.
“Terrorism can not be classified into good and bad today. Terrorism is terrorism and is so condemned. Equal and indiscriminate approach should be shown against all of them (all forms of terrorism),”said Mottaki.
“While trying to put in the terrorist groups’ list a media or a liberation group which fights for freedom of its land, these (the westerners) want to bring out from the list the groups which have a long record of terrorist acts,”he said.
He concluded,”Today, the world public opinion does not at all accept such a contradictory and dubious approach being based on the double-speak and political standards and we condemn such an act.”1420
Iran has criticised Polish students who went to Paris last weekend to party with the Iranian People’s Mujahedin.
Saturday’s ‘party’ thrown by the People’s Mujahedin, deemed by the USA, Canada, EU ant the Iranian government as a terrorist organisation, was attended by several thousand young Poles. They travelled to France after being offered the journey at a cost of under ten euros conditional upon taking part in an accompanying demonstration.
But Iranian Ambassador to Poland Hadi Farajvand said Thursday that the participation in the demonstration is likely to have a negative impact on the Polish-Iranian relations.
“It is very important for academia, and especially students, to cut themselves off such terrorist organisations. It is regrettable that this organisation deluded the Polish [students],” said the Ambassador.
The People’s Mujahedin of Iran is a secular, socialist organisation which aims to overthrow the Islamist Iranian government. It was accused of being behind the murder of the president and PM of Iran 1981. The organisation sided with Saddam Hussein during the Iraq-Iran war and was accused of assisting the Iraqi republican guard in the suppression of Kurds and the Shi’a Muslims in the 1980s.
Polskieradio – July 4, 2008