France’s Stance on MKO Falls Short of Iran’s Expectations
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An official at Iran’s Foreign Ministry deplored Paris’s lack of serious stance on the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO), saying the French were expected to take a tougher line on the notorious group given their frequent complaint about being a victim of terrorism.
The informed official in Iran’s Foreign Ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity, decried French politicians for not bothering to take a serious action against the anti-Iran terrorist group.
“Calling the Munafiqeen (MKO) group ‘terrorists and violent’ and pointing to its sectarian conduct is not enough alone,” the Iranian official said Thursday.
The official also noted that Paris’s reaction was below expectations considering that France has in recent years regarded itself as a major European victim of terrorist attacks by the Takfiri groups that benefit from the backing of certain reactionary countries and founders of al-Qaeda and Daesh (ISIL).
The official also made a reference to France’s constant expression of determination to tackle terrorism and extremist groups.
The comments came after the French Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that it maintained “no contact” with the MKO.
“Its (MKO’s) violent and non-democratic inspiration has led several human rights organizations to underline its sectarian practices and its refusal to formally renounce violence,” French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal reportedly said at a press briefing.
The reaction came after Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the French ambassador on Tuesday to protest about a recent meeting held in Paris by the MKO.
On July 9, the MKO terrorists held a meeting in Paris, with diplomats from some Arab states, including Saudis, making anti-Iran comments in the gathering.
The MKO - listed as a terrorist organization by much of the international community - fled Iran in 1986 for Iraq and was given a camp by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
They fought on the side of Saddam during the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-88). They were also involved in the bloody repression of Shiite Muslims in southern Iraq in 1991 and the massacre of Iraqi Kurds.
The notorious group is also responsible for killing thousands of Iranian civilians and officials after the victory of the Islamic revolution in 1979.
More than 17,000 Iranians, many of them civilians, have been killed at the hands of the MKO in different acts of terrorism including bombings in public places, and targeted killings.