Iran Press/ America: MeK was once a US-designated terrorist group but today counts prominent anti-Iran Western politicians as key allies. Iran accuses it of terrorism, saying it carried out a series of attacks in the 1980s.
According to CNN, the group is one of the best-organized opposition groups confronting the Islamic Republic. Still, it has little support among Iranians, primarily due to its violent past and for having supported Iraqi President Saddam Hussein during his almost decade-long war with Iran.
However, analysts say that recent diplomatic activity between Iran and its competitors, may not bode well for the group.
In one week, the MeK last month witnessed a rare raid on its sprawling base in Albania, where it is headquartered, as well as a brief ban on a planned annual rally in France, where it has held such events for several years.
The same week, French authorities banned a planned MeK rally in Paris, citing “attack threats.” The ban was later reversed by a judicial order, and the rally took place on Saturday coinciding with an annual MeK meeting on the outskirts of Paris that hosted some of the most prominent right-wing figures.
The setbacks for the MeK also follow a landmark deal between Iran and Saud Arabia in March, which saw diplomatic ties re-instated after almost eight years of tensions.
The brief French ban on the MeK rally also came just days after a 90-minute phone call between French President Emanuel Macron and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on June 10.
It is unclear whether the recent diplomatic activity between Iran and its rivals is directly responsible for the developments in France or Albania, but analysts say they’re unlikely to be coincidental, especially as Western states hope to restart nuclear talks with Iran.
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