A visual narrative from childhood to adulthood of Amir Yaghmai as a child of Mujahedin-e Khalq
Amir Yaghmai, a former child soldier of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), was one of the first children of this group who spoke out to expose its leaders. 5 years ago, when he went to meet his mother in front of the MEK’s camp in Albania, he was not allowed by the group leaders to meet her. Then, he started publicly criticizing the leaders of the MEK, and in return, he was accused and defamed by the MEK that claimed that Amir is the agent of the Iranian Intelligence.
Amir is one of the 1000 children of the MEK, whose Mujahed parents offered them to Masoud Rajavi when they were children. He is one of the 4 children who participated in the documentary “Children of Camp Ashraf” directed by Sara Moin, and after the release of this documentary, he was hated by the MEK more than before.
In response to the attacks of the MEK’s insults, he has increased his activity on social networks more than before. He, who is always accused of being a mercenary for the government of Iran by supporters of MEK, addressed them in one of his posts on the X social network and promised that he would share more stories from his past time inside the MEK in response to each accusation.
Thus, his account on X is full of photos and videos that show the painful history of helpless children of the MEK in its brainwashing system. Some of these children, such as Amir, have been involved in the issues of this terrorist cult since birth or at a very young age. Some of these children were able to distance themselves from the group, some have managed to leave it, and some are still trapped by it.
Amir is a child of Iranian parents, but he was born in France. He is the son of Ismail Vafa Yaghmai, a former member of the MEK. His father, who was once a member of the National Council of Resistance and a poet of the group, managed to leave the organization when Amir was young. His mother Akram Habib Khani, who is still trapped behind the bars of the Cult of Rajavi, has taken strong positions against Amir and his father in recent years under organizational pressure.
After enduring a long and difficult process, Amir Yaghmai managed to leave Camp Ashraf and join the temporary camp of the American army in the neighborhood of Camp Ashraf, and after 8 years of being a child soldier and living in the modern slavery structure of the MEK, he made his way to the free world. In 2005, he managed to return to Sweden.
This article is supposed to republish some of the photos and notes shared by Amir Yaghmai in his account on the X social network, in the order of the time of occurrence, from his childhood to today. Your attention is drawn to a few images from the story of a child who was a victim of the totalitarian and extremist cult of Masoud and Maryam Rajavi at least until he was 19 years old, translated by Nejat Society:
Amir Yaghmaei and his mother Akram Habibkhani
Amir Yaghmai’s post on X, May 5th, 2024
5 years ago, I and one of my friends went to Ashraf 3 in Albania, hoping to meet our mothers. At that time, I had not contacted my mother for about 16 years, and my only intention was to inform my mother that she would have a grandchild in a few months. MEK responded negatively to the meeting request.
Amir Yaghmaei in his childhood
His post on X, May 28th, 2024
This is a photo of me when I was 5 years old in the area of “Skan” or MEK’s housing complex in Badiezadegan camp near Baghdad. I was with my family one day a week and then I would go back to the overnight boarding house. We were used to missing our parents. Sometimes I think I dreamed everything…
His post on X, June 1st, 2024
The first year after I left Iraq and came to Sweden. Wherever I went, the photo of the two “ideological prophets” of the MEK was above my head.
Amir Yaghmaei in Sweden
His post on X, May 9th, 2024
Here at the base of the Zayerian in the suburb of Paris and me at the front, at the age of 4. We are singing the songs of the MEK. The brainwashing of MEK children started from this age. Pay attention to the letter board “A is like a revolution, G is like a gun, W is like war, K is like Khomeini…
the base of the Zayerian in the suburb of Paris
His post on X, May 10th, 2024
About 1 year before we were sent back to Iraq, I met Maryam Rajavi during a trip to Paris. She gave me a gold necklace. The necklace that she gave to all the children of MEK. 1 year after that, I left for the hell in Iraq and the exit doors were completely closed on me.
Amir Yaghmaei and Maryam Rajavi
His post on X, May 10th, 2024
A photo of “Auver”, the main base of MEK in the suburbs of Paris in 1998. The underage children in this photo were all sent to Iraq and Camp Ashraf. They were brought from Germany during the school holidays to be brainwashed and recruited by the MEK. I’m in the middle with a red shirt.
A photo of Auver
His post on X, May 11th, 2024
The MEK claims that there were on child soldiers in the group. This is a picture of me at the age of 14 in a military uniform in Camp Ashraf. After 1 year of active brainwashing by the authorities, I was transferred from Paris to Iraq in 1998, and this captivity lasted for 6 years until the arrival of the American forces.
Amir Yaghmaei at Camp Ashraf-Iraq
His post on X, May 31st, 2024
This is at Alavi’s border camp. I was transferred here from Faeze camp because I was a “non-organizational” person and did not follow the MEK’s rules. I had told myself that now that I was forced to be a prisoner here, I will be “childish” and I will not let them steal this time from me. I am the second person standing from the right in a white T-shirt.
MEK child soldiers
His post on X, June 7th, 2024
I am in Camp Ashraf. Smiles do not always express the truth.
Amir Yaghmaei
His post on X, May 16th, 2024
Dr. Jones, colonel dentist who took me under his wing after I was released from Ashraf prison and taught me the lesson of humanity. He trained me as his assistant in the dental office and paid me, he provided me with connection with the Swedish embassy and helped me in all the steps forward.
Dr. Jones, colonel dentist
His post on X, May 12th, 2024
Birthday celebrations were forbidden in MEK. Sometimes people who secretly have a friendly relationship with each other put a secret gift such as syrup powder or a handwritten greeting in each other’s closet. If it was revealed, you would be severely punished. But in the American camp, that “foreign imperialist” force, celebrated my birthday after 6 years.
Amir Yaghmaei’s birthday at the American Camp
His post on X, May 26th, 2024
In the end, it was the American forces who took me by helicopter to the Baghdad airport on October 2, 2005, to take me to the Swedish embassy in Jordan and finally return to Sweden. At the moment of the helicopter flight, the female colonel told the pilot to fly one round over Ashraf so that Amir would see this hell for the last time.
Yaghmaei at Camp TIPF
His post on X, June 6th, 2024
One of my first photos after returning to Sweden after 8 years in the hell of Iraq. I fell behind in everything, in education, social relations, even how to buy goods and train tickets. Someone told me, “Your fate is not strange, your parents were Mujahids and you ended up with Ashraf”. Does that mean we didn’t have the right to choose?
Amir Yaghmaei in Sweden
His post on X, May 6th, 2024
When I tried to meet my mother, the supporters of the MEK mockingly said, “A 40-year-old child is looking for his mother”, not knowing that in a free society, especially in Iranian culture, children have a relationship with their parents until the end of their lives. But my biggest regret is that my daughters have not seen their grandmother until today.
Amir Yaghmaei
Today, Amir Yaghmai is an environmental scientist and lives in Sweden. He is married and has two children. He believes that authenticity is with truth. Although in the middle of his content, he introduces himself as an atheist and against the government of Iran, he is well aware that the truth of the MEK must be acknowledged, and efforts must be made to end violation of human rights of the members of this violent cult.
By Mazda Parsi