There are many new films being broadcast from Albania, mostly by Albanian media, about the MEK in Tirana. Some show groups of MEK wandering about aimlessly, others are hiding behind windows and doors at the apartment block. Journalists have been able to talk with the MEK’s neighbours at their apartment block as well as other concerned citizens. The overriding message is that the MEK are ‘into themselves’ and don’t talk to anyone, not even officials …
In Tirana, public pressure has increased as the people ask when will it all end – first Albania accepted Guantanamo Bay prisoners, now the MEK organisation. There is fierce opposition to taking more terrorists. Commentators remind us that the ball is now in the American court. The US and Albania must now de-radicalise and disband these terrorists or be seen as the Godfathers of terrorism.
It is noticeable that in the last week the Saudis have dropped the MEK altogether and as much as the MEK/MKO/PMOI is trying to support the Saudis in their websites, the Saudis are not giving anything back. Analysts say the Saudis have realised what a deep problem they made for themselves. From one side the leading Saudi religious leader has announced that Shias are worse than non-believers and Iranians are not Muslims and they should be killed. With this Wahhabi …
Analysts have engaged with the translation of Maryam Rajavi’s Farsi description of her missing husband Massoud Rajavi as ‘the ever wakeful lion’. Ebrahim Khodabandeh talked with an English speaker to ask whether Maryam Rajavi’s phrase is in contradiction with Prince Turki’s when he says Massoud is dead. In his view, the English speaker explained, the phrase ‘ever wakeful’ implies somebody who cannot sleep or doesn’t need to sleep and such …
The mass transfers of the radicalised residents of Camp Liberty in Iraq to a closed base in Albania is continuing. But among the transfers was a charter flight carrying 115 of Rajavi’s close associates who are wanted people. Several sources in Iraq have said that although this flight is registered as a UN flight, it is Saudi Arabia along with the American military who have escorted these people safely out of the country. This has led to speculation that Massoud Rajavi …
Other comments have talked about the exodus of disaffected members in Tirana and the breakdown of the MEK’s control over the members. Basically, there is growing chaos inside the MEK/MKO/PMOI as members are constantly finding ways to contact the outside world.++ While this is happening, four series of wanted people – heads of the MEK – have been transferred out of Iraq….
… The main question inside the MEK has now progressed from ‘where is Massoud Rajavi’ to ‘where is Massoud Rajavi, dead or alive?’ As time passes and both the Saudis and the MEK remain mum, the situation among the membership gets worse. This has now spread to the remaining members of the NCRI. Now that it has become open that the MEK were being paid by Saudi Arabia from the time of Saddam …
The commentary about Saudi relations with the MEK/MKO/PMOI has continued this week. The main themes are that this is nothing new and that it will not be a long-term thing and that ultimately Iran will gain, not Saudi Arabia. A short analysis by Behzad Alishah covers the points made by others about the three main players last week. He says: if I were Maryam Rajavi, I would beg the Saudis not to make me do whatever …
This last week marked the anniversary of the Forough-e Javidan (Eternal Light) or Mersad operation. Many memories have been written from both sides – from Iran and former MEK/MKO/PMOI members. But the theme of all of them is that after so many years it is now obvious that the MEK is not a military or even an ideological force. It is a purely mercenary force which has now ended up in the hands of the Saudis. The …
It was of some significance that several of the MEK’s usual supporters didn’t attend, such as Rudi Giuliani. These are people who are retired but still have political ambitions in the USA. The three main Arab lobbyists of the MEK also did not attend. One commented that ‘the money is not worth it, I have a wife and children to think of’. News from …