A Narrative of the Murder of 12,000 Iranians By the MeK
Seyed Mohammad Javad Hasheminejhad, son of late Ayatollah Hasheminejhad, is the Secretary General of Habilian Association, a center dedicated to enlightening about terrorist groups in Iran especially the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MeK) Organization. On the occasion of the annual gathering of terrorist Mujahedin-e Khalq group in Paris, Iran’s Farhikhtegan newspaper interviewed Mr. Hasheminejhad to review the activities of this terrorist group and investigate its goals and actions these days. The interview is presented below:
Farhikhtegan: My first question is about today’s political activities of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization. Considering the recent gathering of this group in Paris, would you please explain about the history of MeK’s connection with European countries? What are their connections and which countries do they work with?
Hasheminejhad: After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the MeK took up arms and carried out massive terrorist operations in the country, including assassination of intellectual leaders of the revolution, with the aim of seizing the country through creating chaos. At that time, extensive measures were carried out in Iran, which turned out later that it was implemented with the special coordination of Western intelligence services. Concurrent with the beginning of these activities, France was chosen by this group as the headquarters for coordinating affairs and the French Government gave them logistical, security and media facilities. These facts are presented in detail in the US State Department's reports and the reports from the European Union and institutions such as Rand Corporation. In short, the information collected in the past 37-38 years shows that the terrorist attacks performed by the MeK at the beginning of the Islamic revolution were all coordinated with western countries. Notably, the MeK’s actions not only led to no chaos in the country, but also the assassination of some of the most effective individuals in the revolution along with the killing of a great number of people created a sense of general unity against the perpetrators and their masters. Totally, it seems that the MeK’s plans in this stage failed.
The most important function of the MeK was transferring information from Iran
After these events and when western countries (e.g., France), came to the conclusion that they can no longer support this group openly, they transferred the group’s leader and some of its members to Iraq with two goals: First, for ease of access to them; and second, to utilize it in Iraq’s war against Iran. Therefore, the MeK united with Saddam to compensate Iraqis’ for the weaknesses. The most important function of the MeK was transferring information from inside Iran. They used to provide information from inside the cities to Iraq so that Saddam could more accurately fire his missiles toward Iran. However, when the signs of Saddam’s failure appeared, the idea about efficiency of the MeK faded as well.
The MeK sought to persuade US to attack Iran
Years later, when Americans invaded Iraq and occupied it, the MeK thought that, regarding previous cooperation, an “updated” unity with the west, would persuade George W. Bush to initiate a war with Iran. They also deemed that with the US’s occupation of Afghanistan, an East-West encirclement of Iran would bring success for them.
In examining the outcome of events of that period of time, it is enough to say that not only the Bush’s illusions about dominating Iran after occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq gradually faded, but also the regional developments turned against Americans' predictions.
Later when many active terrorist groups were identified and destroyed in countries on the west and east of Iran, the MeK was trying to introduce itself to America as the only alternative for the Iranian government, in order to survive. The MeK’s extensive efforts in this area provided them a wide range of facilities. One of these facilities is holding annual gatherings in Paris.
F: Over these years, was their cooperation limited to France and the US, or were they active in other parts of the world as well?
H: The MeK have never left their European headquarters. Even when they were based in Iraq, they had some headquarters in France and some European countries and used them. Of course, it is clear that this was carried out in collaboration with the Western security systems, I.e., it was completely systematic. For instance, about 20 years ago and during the Iran-Iraq war, the MeK simultaneously attacked Iranian embassies in 11 European countries. In any international standard, this is an absolute terrorist attack. However, anybody would understand that it is impossible to simultaneously attack 11 embassies in 11 countries unless you have already aligned with western security systems. In short, Europeans and the United States have been trying for 40 years to find a cat's-paw in Iran by which they could seize power there and presently that option is nothing but the MeK, whether they are effective or not. This has two main causes. Firstly, the other terrorist groups have been completely destroyed, compared to this group. Secondly, the MeK has no limits in terms of criminal acts and betrayal. The most extensive betrayals of other groups have not been as violent as the acts performed by the MeK. It is only the MeK, who announced to the western security systems that they have no limitations in hitting the interests of the Iranian nation. Indeed, they have proven this in their cooperation with Saddam, the CIA, and even in assassination of Iranian scientists. In the last item, the MeK assassinated individuals who had nothing to do with politics nor the type of government and Since they were scientific and academic figures of the country, they were supported by citizens of Iran from each faction. It is notable that during the assassination of two nuclear scientists of Iran, two high-ranking officials of CIA explicitly announced during 2007-2009 that the Iranian nuclear scientists were assassinated through the close collaborations between Mossad spy agency of Israel and the MeK. Therefore, this wicked group can attract the attention of any anti-Iran security system to be used against Iran in some ways.
The Europe hosts, Saudi Arabia funds, CIA and Mossad assist
F: After their last year’s gathering, we saw an increase in the number of terrorist attacks inside Iran. It seemed that the triangle of the United States, France, and Saudi Arabia have special programs for this group. If that is true, how do each of these countries support the MeK?
H: France and other European countries host the MeK and do their financial works. They do their money laundering and financial transfers. In addition, they provide locations for holding summits and conferences. The MeK’s presence in these countries and using their parliament members and other politicians facilitates the survival of this terrorist group. According to Westerners’ own confessions, the MeK gives money to these people to attend their events. Not surprisingly, the group is financially supported by Saudi Arabia. Generally, Saudis spend a generous amount of money for these issues and even meet the financial needs of CIA and other intelligence agencies, such as Mossad. Recently Mr. Trump announced that Saudis should pay money to fulfil their demands. He also applied the phrase of lactating cow for them. Apparently, one of the occasions in which the Saudis should be drained is these acts of hostility against Iran. On the other hand, the role of Israel and the United States in this area is related to information and security. As I mentioned earlier, the CIA has declared its role in the assassination of nuclear scientists and providing information for Takfiri groups and groups that are active on our borders. This was also announced by Rigi, head of the Jundallah organization. He admitted that his group had information collaborations with the MeK.
The media is the serious platform for these days’ activities of the MeK
F: Obviously, the group’s model and objectives have been somewhat changed, compared to the early days of the Islamic Revolution. Today, the MeK follows a series of new objectives and new working methods in the country. The question that arises here is that to what extent are they following up their objectives in the country?
H: During the first decade after the Iranian Revolution, the United States had the illusion that it could overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran through small military operations or by provoking Saddam to launch a war against Iran. Americans thought that there is no need for direct and immersive actions by them. Saddam had also the same illusion when he had determined a specific period for seizing the Khuzestan province and etc.
Naturally, the MeK had the same perceptions and, therefore, took up arms and tried to take power through massive massacres of people and authorities. However, they had accurate calculations in terms of financial issues and Materialistic calculations. The royal system had just fallen, there was no military cohesion, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had nothing but some G3 weapons and a few grenades, governmental structures were not yet formed and the Iranian society must have been collapsed due to the actions performed by Iraq on the border and the MeK inside the country. However, the unity among people solved many problems. On the other hand, it’s about 16 or 17 years that the United States threatens Iranian by a “military option”. Obviously, this military option means they are prepared to carry out military operations. Therefore, having this preparedness would work for several months and not 16-17 years. All of these show that if the former methods were to have any impact, Iran must have already been collapsed. So, we believe that the US and the MeK methods to attack Iran have been somehow changed and the strategy that is being pursued vigorously today is collapse from within. What is the form of collapse from within? It has been some years that cultural invasion, in addition to attempts to create schism, as well as blowing in troubles along with guiding a lot of disturbances in the country have been put on the agenda of the US and its companions, including the MeK. For instance, when we watch out the MeK’s website, we see that every small gathering and any union protest were exaggerated. Therefore, it is clear that they try to have an influence on the people through the media. They have active accounts in the social media and have media actions on their agenda either officially or unofficially. These individuals collected a wide range of information in Iran during the Iran-Iraq and gave it to Saddam. It is no longer necessary to directly attract individuals, as in the past. They can do the same while using more developed expanded media tools. All they need in this specific situation is proper use of some tools to skillfully create some waves with the same efficiency.
students and Teenagers are the MeK’s spotlight
F: It is said that the MeK has expanded its recruitment domain, as they seek to recruit school students. Is it true?
H: Of course it is. After the victory of the Islamic revolution, when these individuals were released from prisons, they spread their net at universities and schools and high schools and attracted many teens and young people. Today, they have targeted the same group of people. However, this is common between terrorist group all over the world. Also, the age range of 19-22 years is very normal among terrorists because, on one hand, this age range is the peak of an individual's excitement and, on the other hand, young people usually lack the necessary knowledge to diagnose conditions. For instance, a young worker who was attracted by this terrorist group during the 2009 Iranian turmoil, said that during a mountain-climbing event, a young girl who had come along with him, seduced and delivered him to a core headquarter of the MeK for training. He explained how he was trained during a period after the 2009 presidential election to take a bus to the middle of the street and burn it. After a while, he realized that this was actually the MeK and he asked about their collaborations with Saddam during Iran-Iraq war, which was rejected by these individuals, who claimed that all of these sayings are “a lie”. Therefore, you can see that they try to clean their records and not to show their logo and specifications and take advantage of the unawareness of the youth during their recruitment process. In sum, it is true that they try to use the young generation and having an influence on them so that they could be used in certain situations.
The MeK’s Relations swith Saudi Arabia and the United States
The MeK cannot be merely regarded as a limited and isolated terrorist group at the international level. They have shown new dimensions of actions, especially since the financial support of the triangular of Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Israel.
Strategic link and union of these four players in the region's terrorist transformations are so clear today that the NBC News has recently introduced John Bolton, the US national security advisor, the MeK’s man in the White House, revealing the extended aspects of the relationship between this terrorist group and the Zionist lobby and American statesmen.
On the other hand, by overthrow of Iraqi Ba'ath Regime in 2003, the MeK’s main source of financing was lost. However, it did not take long that Saudi Arabia compensated Saddam's vacuum for this group. Accordingly, Saudi Arabia’s support for the MeK in all areas, including finance and politics, which was mostly carried out in secret before 2016, due to the diminution of relations between Tehran and Riyadh, became overt. As far as, we see today that Mohammad Bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, meets with the MeK’s leaders in Paris and has no fear of consequences of this action in the media and public opinion.
What did the MeK do with the Iranian people?
Since the beginning of the revolution, 17,000 people have been killed as a result of terrorist attacks in Iran, 12000 of whom have been assassinated by the MeK terrorist group. Failed assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei; bombing the office of Islamic Republic Party, which led to the assassination of Ayatollah Beheshti, the then the head of the Iranian judicial system and 72 of his companions; bombing the office of the then Prime Minister and assassination of President Rajaei and Prime Minister Bahonar; assassination of a significant number of religious figures, including Ayatollah Madani, Ayatollah Dastgheib, Ayatollah Sadoughi, and Ayatollah Ashrafi Esfahani, are just a part of actions of this terrorist group. These actions did not necessarily target the government authorities and involved the common people as well. In this respect, the MeK, especially during the Iran-Iraq war and when there was a lack of security inside the country, sent terrorist teams to Iran and performed many terrorist acts that led to the martyrdom ofmany innocent people.
Heavy defeat in Operation Mersad (the last major military operation of the Iran–Iraq War, ending in a decisive victory for Iran) gradually led the MeK to other actions including attempts to create insecurity and turmoil inside the country. Bombings and mortar attacks in various cities in the 90s, such as a mortar attack to Shahid Chamran University of Ahwaz; bombing and mortar attacks in three districts of Tehran; mortar attack on a residential building in Ilam; assassination of Assadollah Lajevardi; Iranian prosecutor and warden; assassination of Ali Sayad Shirazi, Iranian commander of the Ground Force during Iran–Iraq War; espionage in favor of foreigners, especially the United States; blackmailing and presenting false information about Iran's nuclear program to international organizations, provoking the 2009 Iranian turmoil, and radicalization of 2017–18 Iranian protests among the other actions.
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After announcing the official position of the US government in 1994 and similar position by some other European countries and then the European Union’s declaration, the MeK was rejected in the international arena as a terrorist group. However, this continued only to 2012, when the US State Department removed this group from the list of terrorist organizations.
In 2015, Maryam Rajavi, the MeK’s leader, was invited to the US Congress to talk about necessity of a regime change in Iran. One year later, the MeK held a controversial gathering in Paris in which John Bolton, the US National Security Advisor, and Turki al Faisal, former president of Saudi Arabia's intelligence agency, were special guests.
Vitriolic comments of lecturers of this meeting against the Islamic Republic and their emphasis on necessity of a regime change in Iran showed that some plans are designed. This coincided with an unofficial announcement of diplomatic warfare of many Saudi and American allies in the region against Tehran, as well as beginning of a new round of sabotage and terrorist acts inside Iran including ISIS’ attacks on the parliament building and the tomb of Imam Khomeini, Iran’s revolutionary founder.