Iran Updates Sanctions List of US Officials Supporting MKO Terrorist Group


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry said it has designated 61 US individuals in accordance with an Iranian law titled “Countering Violations of Human Rights and Adventurist and Terrorist Actions of the United States of America in the Region,” passed by the Parliament.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday, the blacklisted individuals, who deliberately support the anti-Iran terrorist Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) group, include former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former White House National Security advisor John Bolton, who have attended the terror group’s meetings. Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Bob Menedez are also among the designated persons.

After it was founded more than 50 years ago, the MKO launched a campaign of bombings and assassinations in Iran. Out of the nearly 17,000 Iranians killed in terrorist attacks over the past four decades, about 12,000 have fallen victim to the group’s acts of terror.

The ill-famed terror group is currently based in Albania, where it enjoys freedom of activity after being delisted by the European Union and the United States in 2009 and 2012 respectively.

Regardless of its disrepute around the world, the MKO has in recent years held numerous big events, attended by senior American, Israeli and Saudi officials, including former US Senator John McCain, former mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani, John Bolton, former US Senator Joe Lieberman, and former director of Saudi Arabia's intelligence agency Turki bin Faisal Al Saud.

Following is the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s statement:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran in accordance with the Law on Countering Violations of the Human Rights and Adventurous and Terrorist Acts of the United States in the Region, in particular Article 4 of the Law, designates the following American individuals and officials for their deliberate support of the Monafeghin terrorist group (so-called MKO) through participation in the terrorist group's gathering, acknowledging their terrorist acts and causes as well as providing political and propaganda support to the group.

Throughout the recent decades, the Monafeghin terrorist group by organizing and perpetrating countless terrorist acts, have martyred more than 17,000 innocent civilians, in particular women and children. Despite the terrorist nature and atrocious terrorist acts of Monafeghin as well as its violent terrorist and military activities, the United States government continues to support this terrorist group and has maintained its double standards and hypocrisy in this regard.

The Islamic Republic of Iran recalling the international obligations in desisting and refraining from, among others, facilitating and encouraging terrorist acts, reiterates that the policy and practice of the United States government in supporting the Monafeghin terrorist group is in violation of the abovementioned obligation and constitutes internationally wrongful acts entailing the international responsibility of the said government.

In the light of the above and considering the provisions of the Law on Countering Violations of the Human Rights and Adventurous and Terrorist Acts of the United States in the Region, all relevant national authorities will take appropriate measures for effective implementation of the sanctions stipulated in the Act.

Updating Designations regarding American Officials and Individuals Supporting the Monafeghin Terrorist Group:

 

1. Mike Pompeo

2. Robert Torricelli

3. Rudy Giuliani

4. Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman

5. Robert Joseph

6. Michael Mukasey

7. Louis Freeh

8. John Robert Bolton

9. Marc Ginsberg

10. John M." Jack" Keane

11. Charles F. Wald

12. Nathan A. Sales

13. Lincoln Bloomfield

14. Mary Landrieu

15. Frances Townsend

16. Gen. James T. Conway

17. Deborah Lee James

18. Gary Faye Locke

19. Patrick Kennedy

20. Linda Chavez

21. Mitchell Reiss

22. Joe Donnelly

23. Bill Ritter, Jr

24. Steve Bullock

25. Philip Noman (Phil Bredesen)

26. Timothy M. Boras

27. Theresa Payton

28. Donna Lease Brazile

29. James Logan Jones Junior

30. Pete Sessions

31. Raul Ruiz

32. Nicole Malliotakis

33. Mario Diaz Balart

34. Angie Craig

35. Brad Schneider

36. Thomas Earl "Tom" Emmer

37. French Hill

38. Sheila Jackson-Lee

39. Brian Fitzpatrick

40. Judy Chu

41. Scott Perry

42. Donald John Bacon

43. Gwus Michael Bilirakis

44. Kelly A. Ayotte

45. Hakeem Jeffries

46. Kevin McCarthy

47. Brad Sherman

48. Joe Wilson

49. Dean Philips

50. Cory Booker

51. Roy Blunt

52. Maggie Hassan

53. Joni Ernst

54. John Boozman

55. Doug Jones

56. Ted Cruz

57. John Cornyn

58. Thom Tillis

59. Rick Scott

60. Robert " Bob" Menendez

61. Jeanne Shaheen