Massoud Rajavi
Encyclopedia
Massoud Rajavi is the president of the National Council of Resistance of Iran and the leader of People's Mujahedin of Iran
(PMOI, also known as the MEK), an opposition organization active inside and outside of Iran
. After leaving Iran in 1981, he resided in France and Iraq. Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he has not made any public appearances, although it is believed he has sent several audio messages to his followers. The last of these messages was sent on 22 August 2011 congratulating the overthrow of Gaddafi in Libya
and the great victory of the people.
(the Shah's secret police) and was sentenced to death. Due to efforts by his brother Prof. Kazem Rajavi
,Amnesty International, the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as distinguished European personalities such as François Mitterrand, he was not executed and remained in prison until released by the people during the revolution in 1979. His death sentence was commuted as a result of international pressure.
Prof. Kazem Rajavi was assassinated in April 1990 in Geneva by agents of the Iranian Islamic regime.
Massoud Rajavi was released from prison three weeks before the revolution in February 1979. Upon his release, Rajavi assumed leadership of the Islamic MEK, reclaiming the name from the Marxists. This was the beginning of the MEK as it exists today. Rajavi and the MEK actively opposed the Shah of Iran and participated in the 1979 Iranian Revolution
.
Following the Islamic revolution in 1979 and the removal of the Shah, MEK vigorously pursued its objective of establishing democracy in Iran. Although MEK had begun as a very small organization – given that the majority of its members just emerged from prison in 1979 – its membership grew quickly. However, the group's ideology, which was quite different from the Ayatollahs’ interpretation of Islam, clashed with Ayatollah Khomeini's
government. By the time Iran’s first presidential election took place in January 1980, MEK had gathered significant support in Iran, including support from Jews and Kurds. Rajavi was one of the candidates for Iran's presidential elections; however before the final result of the election was announced, Ayatollah Khomeini ordered to omit Rajavi's name from the list of candidates. When Rajavi was barred from running for office, many Kurds, who widely supported Rajavi, also boycotted the election.
In a speech in June 1980 at Tehran’s Amjadieh Stadium, Rajavi criticized the regime’s leaders, especially Ayattollah Khoimeini, about the suppression of liberties.
In 1981, when Ayatollah Khomeini dismissed President Bani Sadr and a new wave of arrests and executions started in the country, Rajavi and Bani Sadr flew to Paris from Tehran's airbase. In 1986 Rajavi moved to Iraq and set up a base on the Iranian border. Rajavi was welcomed in Baghdad by then-Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. According to some claims,MEK forces assisted Saddam in his 1991 campaign
against the Kurds. The claim proved to be false when Mr. Hoshyar Zebari, a former leader in the Kurdish Democratic Party and now the foreign minister of Iraq, signed a document taken from a lawsuit in the Netherlands which specifically states that MEK never showed hostilities toward the Kurds, “we have not come across any evidence to suggest that the Mojahedin have exercised any hostility towards the people of Iraqi Kurdistan.”
On Nov 30, 2007 a British Court, The Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC), ruled to the annulment of the terrorist designation and ordered the British government to remove PMOI from the terrorist list. On 23 January 2008, the European Council's Parliamentary Assembly, meeting in Strasbourg, backed a report attacking the methods used by the UN Security Council and the EU to blacklist individuals and groups suspected of having terrorist connections abuse basic rights and are "completely arbitrary". This issue covers the case of the PMOI. The US State Department
, however, still classifies the MEK as a terrorist organization.
Following the American invasion of Iraq, Massoud Rajavi disappeared, presumably fearing retaliation by Iranian agents following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime and subsequent loss of protection for him and his followers. No evidence has emerged as to his involvement in the radio messages he frequently sends to his followers. In his absence, Maryam Rajavi
has assumed his responsibilities as leader of the MEK. As of 2005, over 300 members of the group had returned to Iran voluntarily and claimed asylum, however, 3,400 others still live in Camp Ashraf
.
People's Mujahedin of Iran
The People's Mujahedin of Iran is a terrorist militant organization that advocates the overthrow of the Islamic Republic of Iran....
(PMOI, also known as the MEK), an opposition organization active inside and outside of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. After leaving Iran in 1981, he resided in France and Iraq. Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he has not made any public appearances, although it is believed he has sent several audio messages to his followers. The last of these messages was sent on 22 August 2011 congratulating the overthrow of Gaddafi in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and the great victory of the people.
Biography
Massoud Rajavi is a graduate of political law from Tehran University. He joined the PMOI when he was 20 and a law student at Tehran University. Later on he was arrested by SAVAKSAVAK
SAVAK was the secret police, domestic security and intelligence service established by Iran's Mohammad Reza Shah on the recommendation of the British Government and with the help of the United States' Central Intelligence Agency SAVAK (Persian: ساواک, short for سازمان اطلاعات و امنیت کشور...
(the Shah's secret police) and was sentenced to death. Due to efforts by his brother Prof. Kazem Rajavi
Kazem Rajavi
Dr. Kazem Rajavi was a renowned human rights advocate and elder brother of Iranian opposition leader Massoud Rajavi...
,Amnesty International, the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as distinguished European personalities such as François Mitterrand, he was not executed and remained in prison until released by the people during the revolution in 1979. His death sentence was commuted as a result of international pressure.
Prof. Kazem Rajavi was assassinated in April 1990 in Geneva by agents of the Iranian Islamic regime.
Massoud Rajavi was released from prison three weeks before the revolution in February 1979. Upon his release, Rajavi assumed leadership of the Islamic MEK, reclaiming the name from the Marxists. This was the beginning of the MEK as it exists today. Rajavi and the MEK actively opposed the Shah of Iran and participated in the 1979 Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
.
Following the Islamic revolution in 1979 and the removal of the Shah, MEK vigorously pursued its objective of establishing democracy in Iran. Although MEK had begun as a very small organization – given that the majority of its members just emerged from prison in 1979 – its membership grew quickly. However, the group's ideology, which was quite different from the Ayatollahs’ interpretation of Islam, clashed with Ayatollah Khomeini's
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
government. By the time Iran’s first presidential election took place in January 1980, MEK had gathered significant support in Iran, including support from Jews and Kurds. Rajavi was one of the candidates for Iran's presidential elections; however before the final result of the election was announced, Ayatollah Khomeini ordered to omit Rajavi's name from the list of candidates. When Rajavi was barred from running for office, many Kurds, who widely supported Rajavi, also boycotted the election.
In a speech in June 1980 at Tehran’s Amjadieh Stadium, Rajavi criticized the regime’s leaders, especially Ayattollah Khoimeini, about the suppression of liberties.
In 1981, when Ayatollah Khomeini dismissed President Bani Sadr and a new wave of arrests and executions started in the country, Rajavi and Bani Sadr flew to Paris from Tehran's airbase. In 1986 Rajavi moved to Iraq and set up a base on the Iranian border. Rajavi was welcomed in Baghdad by then-Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. According to some claims,MEK forces assisted Saddam in his 1991 campaign
1991 uprisings in Iraq
The 1991 uprisings in Iraq were a series of anti-governmental rebellions in southern and northern Iraq during the aftermath of the Gulf War. The revolt was fueled by the perception that the power of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was vulnerable at the time; as well as by heavily fueled anger at...
against the Kurds. The claim proved to be false when Mr. Hoshyar Zebari, a former leader in the Kurdish Democratic Party and now the foreign minister of Iraq, signed a document taken from a lawsuit in the Netherlands which specifically states that MEK never showed hostilities toward the Kurds, “we have not come across any evidence to suggest that the Mojahedin have exercised any hostility towards the people of Iraqi Kurdistan.”
On Nov 30, 2007 a British Court, The Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC), ruled to the annulment of the terrorist designation and ordered the British government to remove PMOI from the terrorist list. On 23 January 2008, the European Council's Parliamentary Assembly, meeting in Strasbourg, backed a report attacking the methods used by the UN Security Council and the EU to blacklist individuals and groups suspected of having terrorist connections abuse basic rights and are "completely arbitrary". This issue covers the case of the PMOI. The US State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, however, still classifies the MEK as a terrorist organization.
Following the American invasion of Iraq, Massoud Rajavi disappeared, presumably fearing retaliation by Iranian agents following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime and subsequent loss of protection for him and his followers. No evidence has emerged as to his involvement in the radio messages he frequently sends to his followers. In his absence, Maryam Rajavi
Maryam Rajavi
Maryam Rajavi is an Iranian politician who is President elect of National Council of Resistance of Iran, a front group for People's Mujahedin of Iran, since 1993. She is the wife of Massoud Rajavi, a founder of the People's Mujahedin of Iran...
has assumed his responsibilities as leader of the MEK. As of 2005, over 300 members of the group had returned to Iran voluntarily and claimed asylum, however, 3,400 others still live in Camp Ashraf
Camp Ashraf
Camp Ashraf or Ashraf City is situated northeast of the Iraqi town of Khalis, about 120 kilometers west of the Iranian border and 60 kilometers north of Baghdad, and is the seat of the People's Mujahedin of Iran in Iraq...
.