Tehran has designated a series of US officials in a sanctions list due to providing assistance for MEK terrorist organization.
61 American officials have been placed on the Iranian administration’s sanctions list as a result of their assistance with organized terrorism. Iran alleges that the targets had supported a group it deems a “terrorist” organization.
The blacklist contains 61 current and former American figures and was issued yesterday by the Iranian foreign ministry. The Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK), an organization that openly advocates overturning the Iranian administration, has received “deliberate support,” by these figures according to the ministry.
The Iranian administration has already designated some of the people in the list, including ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on other charges. The designated persons include Lincoln Bloomfield, former National Security Advisor, Ted Cruz and Cory Booker, Senators, and Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader.
The targets have participated in the MEK’s events and engaged directly in its activities. They have also allegedly offered political and media assistance, according to the Iranian diplomatic apparatus.
US government representatives have frequently shown up to MEK demonstrations and voiced their solidarity. The main role was played by Republican party members who were publicly in favor of overthrowing Iran’s ruling administration.
The organisation, which has locations in numerous European countries like France, Sweden, and Albania, has also conducted protests. These nations are accused by Iranian authorities of harboring “terrorists” and providing them with resources including money and weapons.
In 2021, Iran first placed sanctions on US government representatives. It included ex-President Donald Trump and Secretary of State on its sanctions list for directing and executing the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani.
The list was then updated in January 2022. An April designation was made in response to unilateral sanctions that affected the human rights condition in Iran.
MEK; A Terrorist Group from the Beginning
Washington and the EU both labeled the MEK as a “terrorist” organization. The two, however, removed the organization from the list more than ten years ago when it made a commitment to stop using violence in its activities.
According to the Iranian authorities, the MEK is directly responsible for the deaths of more than 17,000 Iranians over several decades. The number includes women and children who lost their lives in terrorist attacks.
The MEK was one of the organizations that embraced Iranian 1979 Islamic Revolution, which overthrew royal authority. Later on, though, it turned into one of the principal adversaries of the country and turned to violence against it.
In the early years after the uprising, the organization has taken credit for a number of murders and explosions. Additionally, it supported Iraq throughout his almost decade-long invasion against Iran in the 1980s and fought alongside it. After the fall of Saddam Hussain in 2003, the group lost its haven and took refuge to France and elsewhere.
Since the people in question are not understood to have any assets or affiliations with Iran, the penalties designations are viewed as primarily symbolic. These restrictions won’t limit the targets’ mobility, but they may serve as a strategy to draw attention to the Iranian discourse.
Washington has kept up with imposing sanctions to put further pressure on Iran’s economy. It occurs as attempts to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and international powers have faltered. The US unilaterally from forsook the nuclear agreement in 2018. Following the withdrawal, Trump imposed severe, all-encompassing sanctions.
The new Iranian sanction may work as an alarm about the violent history of MEK and its hazardous plans. Tehran has recurrently urged western states to remove the supports from the group.
