Trump allies' visit throws light on secretive Iranian opposition group MEK

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Trump allies' visit throws light on secretive Iranian opposition group

MEK operates out of compound in rural Albania and has been described as having cult-like attributes

Shaun Walker in Tirana
Mon 15 Jul 2019 14.11 BST First published on Mon 15 Jul 2019 14.11 BST

The gates to the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) compound, situated on a gently inclined hillside in rural Albania, are usually firmly closed, guarded by two sculpted lions atop stone pedestals and a large team of Albanian security guards. Unannounced visitors are not welcome at the fenced-off, secretive site, where more than 2,000 MEK members live.

The history of the MEK, or the People’s Mujahedin of Iran, is long and complicated. Critics and many of those who have left the group in recent years describe it as a shadowy outfit with little support inside Iran and many cult-like attributes, condemned to die out at the obscure base in Albania because of its enforced celibacy rules.

But for its backers, which include many politicians and, notably, members of Donald Trump’s inner circle, the MEK are tireless fighters for a free and democratic Iran who could potentially become the country’s next government.

This was highlighted over the weekend when the group held a gathering of international backers attended by, among others, Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. Other visitors included the former Democratic senator Joe Lieberman and the British Conservative MP Matthew Offord.

Giuliani described the MEK as a “government in exile” and suggested it was also a government in waiting after potential regime change in Iran. “It gives us confidence that if we make those efforts to overthrow that horrible regime, sooner rather than later, we will not only save lives but will be able to entrust the transition of Iran to a very responsible group of people,” he said to cheers from the assembled audience.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/15/trump-allies-visit-throws-light-on-secretive-iranian-opposition-group-mek

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We've seen this bad movie before. It doesn't end well.

[brewens]

1. I had Iranian friends here in Idaho in the early 80's. I worked with a couple at

a Skippers. I was pretty sure they had to get jobs because their money was cut off because of the hostage situation.

I really liked those guys. PARTY ANIMALS! They loved everything about this place. One dude had the 8-track in his Camaro replaced with a cassette deck because I told him I'd make tapes for him. He brought over like a 20 pack of blanks and picked out all the Beatles, Zep, and Stones I had in my collection and it took me a week to record all those for him. They were about ten years behind on their American music tastes, but so was I.

It makes me wonder just how many guys like that went back and are still there thinking about us. They had kids studying all over the world. As bad as it was for some under the Sha, there were a hell of a lot of thoroughly westernized Iranians back then. We probably have, or should have, a lot more friends there than we think.

[Wellstone ruled]

2. If you had been following along,

MEK had this new lobbying twins working the DC crowd, none other than Joe Liberman and Rudy Giuliani. Now there is a pair freaks for you.