BEHIND THE IRAN HEADLINES Series, June 14, 2024, Alireza Jafarzadeh, NCRI-US Deputy Director
In a farcical spectacle held every Tuesday under the guise of a trial against the main organized opposition, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK), the clerical dictatorship regularly calls on foreign countries to hand over members of the MEK to the Iranian regime for prosecution. However, a closer look reveals that the main targets of these trials are, in fact, inside Iran: the rebellious youth.
One of the so-called lawyers told the show trial last Tuesday that the MEK’s “crimes include inciting public disorder and disrupting social order through the spread of statements, speeches, and propaganda. They have engaged in organized street riots and terrorist actions,” she stressed.
Mostafa Nakh’ee, a member of the regime’s parliament, articulated a major purpose of these sham trials: to prevent Iran’s rebellious youth from joining the Resistance Units affiliated with the MEK. On June 7, he told the judiciary-run Mizan News Agency that “new generations are not familiar with them, especially as the MEK has tried to present itself positively through media efforts, advocating for values like freedom and human rights. The judiciary’s action in holding these trials is significant and must continue.”
For over 40 years, the clerical regime has waged a psychological warfare campaign against the MEK, using its influence networks among academia, journalists, and think tanks serving Tehran’s intelligence services. Tehran’s more recent demonization campaign revolves around the narrative that some individuals who joined the organization 30 years ago were underage.
The timing and irrationality of these accusations highlight that the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, now facing unprecedented rage from its own people, feels most threatened by the organized Resistance. This is not just because of its growing international recognition and organizational prowess but more so because of its increasing appeal among Iran’s rebellious youth. Indeed, nothing can stop the appeal of a decades-long movement dedicated to paying the price to free its nation.