Chris Den Hond
Press TV, Paris
On Saturday, the Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) terror group held a hybrid virtual and face-to-face meeting in Albania. Speakers joined via video conference from Europe and the US and the terror group’s sympathizers held gatherings in some European cities.
This is while the cult-like group had been on the EU and the US list of designated terror organizations for a long time.
The speakers agreed with the MKO on two issues: further sanctions against Iran and no negotiations with the country. Mike Pompeo, former US State Secretary under the Donald Trump administration, was the main speaker.
Other speakers at the conference also defended the hardline anti-Iran policy. Stephen Harper, former Canadian Prime Minister, called negotiations with the Iranian government shameful. He went on to advocate a normalization policy with Israel.
Also, Franco Frattini, former European commissioner and foreign minister under former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, rejected any negotiations with Tehran.
The huge red carpet and military salutes would make even some state presidents jealous. That begs the question: What is the terror group doing in Albania?
The MKO backed former dictator Saddam Hussein during the 1980-1988 Iraqi war on Iran. They were put on the list of terrorist organizations in 2000 and were declared persona non grata in Iraq in 2003. They then fled to Albania.
Experts say the MKO is a dangerous sectarian group, that was on the list of terrorist organizations. So it is strange to hear all these speakers express their full support for this group. It only shows the double standards of the European Union when it comes to terrorist groups.