An article was published in the American newspaper New York Times with the following title:
A NATO Minnow Reels from Cyberattacks Linked to Iran
Albania has been the target of repeated digital assaults believed to be linked to its sheltering of an Iranian dissident group on its soil.
By Andrew Higgins
Published Feb. 25, 2023
At the end of this article, it is stated that:
The Albanian government has resisted succumbing to blackmail and has refused to evict M.E.K. Doing that, Mr. Rama said, would be “the biggest shame” for a country with a long history of sheltering refugees nobody else wants, including thousands of Afghans in 2021.
But he complained that M.E.K. were “not easy people, frankly,” and that the group had violated an agreement that it would refrain from using Albania as “a safe haven to make political activity against the Iranian regime.”
Instead, the group has organized high-profile events in Albania aimed at rallying opposition to Tehran, including an annual gathering called the Free Iran World Summit, whose paid speakers have included prominent American supporters like Rudolph W. Giuliani, a former New York mayor and a onetime personal lawyer to former President Donald J. Trump.
The Iranian dissidents, Mr. Rama said, have “friends on Capitol Hill that lobby for them” but have now been ordered to halt public activities against Iran. M.E.K. canceled the Free Iran event last year. “There is no more of this now,” the prime minister said. “We hope that they will not try again because it is not beneficial to this country and they have to accept that.”
In the above article, we come across the following key words from the Albanian Prime Minister:
– Albania has sheltered the MEK in a situation where no one else wanted them.
– The MEK were not easy people, and they have violated the agreement based on which they should refrain from political activities against the Iranian regime.
– The MEK has been ordered to stop public activities against Iran, such as last year’s rally under the title of Free Iran, which was canceled. We hope they don’t try again because it is not in the best interest of this country and they have to accept it.
The extent to which Edi Rama’s statements are honest is certainly debatable, but it should be noted that the very nature of these statements in an interview with a prestigious international publication that is of interest to statesmen and global observers reveals some facts. Certainly Edi Rama did not make these statements without any reason.
Also, an article was published by the American Enterprise Institute with the following title:
Why Do Iranians Hate the Mujahedin-e-Khalq So Much?
By Michael Rubin
February 01, 2023
Michael Rubin is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he specializes in Iran, Turkey, and the broader Middle East. A former Pentagon official, Dr. Rubin has lived in post-revolution Iran, Yemen, and both pre- and postwar Iraq.
His article has been published in many prestigious and international journals of foreign policy and Middle East studies. In this article, the truth that cannot be hidden from the eyes of any foreign observer is pointed out, and that is: the MEK, is hated by the people of Iran, and even among the firmest opponents of the Islamic Republic, since they have been involved of killing and assassination of fellow citizens inside the country, in practical companion with the enemy invading the homeland and fighting against the border guards and defenders of the country, and violating the most basic human rights of its own members.
Although Michael Rubin and the related institute have pointed out a certain fact that is not hidden from anyone, the publication of this article at this point in itself shows that the MEK, which has lost the support of the Iranian people, cannot count on the support of the West, because the ineffectiveness of this organization has been proven over the years based on the above article.
Some facts about Albania are noteworthy:
– The presence and political and terrorist activities of the MEK from the safe base of Albania against Iran caused problems that were beyond the country’s capacity.
– NATO and the West did not support Albania against Iran as much as expected, as they had their own reasons.
– Albania has failed to enter the European Union due to the corruption of the judicial and executive and security institutions.
– Internal conflicts and public protests in Albania against poverty and corruption have become a serious challenge for Edi Rama’s government.
– In fact, the US embassy in Tirana canceled the MEK programed gathering last summer, and the US State Department announced that it does not consider the MEK to be the representative of the Iranian people.
– These issues have brought Albania closer to Saudi Arabia and Israel, who do not have an accurate understanding of the conditions and issues of the Middle East and only think of enmity with Iran. Therefore Albania is further away from Europe and American democrats.
– Finally, “MEK”, which was imposed on Albania in its current form (i.e. established in an isolated and remote camp with extra-legal powers), has now become a problem on top of other problems.
All these cases show that the MEK is not only supported by the West as an alternative, but has become a problem itself. In addition, other things should be considered in this regard.
– The MEK was not invited to the Munich Security Conference, but Reza Pahlavi was invited to participate, who also organized a press session. Perhaps the lack of noticeable presence of this group in the recent unrest inside Iran is the main reason.
– The President of France, who hosted Maryam Rajavi for many years, never agreed to meet her, and even Maryam Rajavi’s asylum was annulled, but he met with other opponents of the Islamic Republic, such as Masoumeh Alinezhad, which was reflected in the media.
– Recently, the MEK has launched hostile propaganda against other opponents of the Islamic Republic, which shows that it has seen its position as weak and in danger.
But what is not understandable is the irrational treatment of the Albanian government with the former members of the MEK in this country. That is, those who are no longer willing to be terrorists, and are not willing to tolerate cultic relations, and violations of the most basic human rights, including the prohibition of contact with family, and are not willing to accept the infamy of being a member of a cult that betrays the highest national interests.
For several months, a number of members of the Association for the Support of Iranians Living in Albania (ASILA), who are the former members of the Rajavi Cult, have been detained in the refugee camp in Karrec. No charges have been brought against them so far and no arrest warrants have been issued for them. This illegal act can only be done to please the Rajavi Cult, which is contrary to Edi Rama’s statements to the American journalist.
The aforementioned people have not created the slightest problem for this country during their stay in Albania. Some have wives and children and were working for years and paying insurance and taxes. So far, no authority has provided any reason to isolate them from the Albanian society. The only thing that can be guessed is that these people were caught simply because they no longer wanted to be with the MEK.
The Albanian government, like Saudi Arabia and Israel, lags behind the political atmosphere of Western countries, which know very well that it is impossible to make serious investments in the MEK. It is necessary for the Albanian government to make an immediate revision based on the fact that “no one wants the MEK” and not to follow the deed end path of Saddam Hussein with this group and not to turn this group into a problem for its national security like in Iraq, and the captives trapped in Karrec camp be released before the Iranian New Year.
Ebrahim Khodabandeh
