The final decline of a terrorist group: The MEK's black balance sheet over the past year

What follows is my English translation of an article by Alireza Niknam, originally in Italian, published on ComeDonChisciotte.org on Thursday 10th March 2025. (All formatting original).

With time, the truth, like a blazing sun, burns away the mask of deception. The terrorist group MEK (Mojahedin-e Khalq), which for years hid behind ostensibly pro-freedom slogans while serving foreign interests and acting against the Iranian people, has tasted unprecedented levels of defeat, isolation, and discredit over the past year. A closer look at developments over the past year reveals that the MEK is nothing more than the fallen name of an empty dream, artificially supported by Saudi petrodollars and failed US lobbying, but no longer able to breathe on its own.

Free fall in Albania: internal collapse and member attrition

Once considered the MEK's last refuge, Albania has become a hotbed of public resentment towards the group. According to published reports, the number of MEK members remaining in Albania has dropped to around 2,400, a clear sign of a broad reduction and structural decay. But these numbers only scratch the surface. This decline signals deeper issues: internal distrust, widespread dissatisfaction and the failure of the cult regime to control the minds and behaviour of members.

Most of the current members are elderly and ill. The average age has reached 65 and many suffer from age-related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, visual impairments and cancer. It is disturbing that the leaders of the group have chosen systematic neglect over medical care. By cutting insurance, limiting access to hospitals and neglecting the health of members, the MEK is effectively conducting an ‘internal purge’ - an act reminiscent of the darkest crimes of totalitarian regimes in modern history.

Failed relocation project in Canada

Desperate to preserve what remains of their crumbling organisation, MEK leaders last year attempted to relocate senior members to Canada to escape mounting pressure from the Albanian government and public opinion. Hoping to leverage influence in the Canadian parliament and buy the support of some MPs, they aimed to provide a safe haven for Maryam Rajavi and the leadership cadres. However, in a commendable move, the Canadian government recognised the true nature of the group and prevented its leaders from entering the country.

This strategic failure not only closed the door on their plans to escape, but also exposed their true face to the world once again. Not so long ago, Rajavi was occasionally welcomed in Western political circles under the guise of an opposition figure. Today, those same circles have realised that the MEK is nothing more than a worn-out security tool in the proxy war against Iran.

Loss of funds and ineffective lobbying

One of the MEK's lifelines was unsecured foreign funding, obtained through lobbying in the US, Europe and some Arab states. These funds were used to host conferences, pay retired political figures for support and produce propaganda content. But the year 2024 marked a turning point. Many former supporters, including American and European senators, stopped openly supporting the group. The MEK had lost its political appeal due to financial corruption, media lies and the exposure of its secret links to foreign intelligence agencies. Meanwhile, funding from Arab states decreased significantly due to regional changes and geopolitical realignments.

Reports indicate that the MEK had to sell assets in Europe to meet its expenses. Some of these assets were shell companies used for money laundering and financing political and terrorist operations. Once their true identity was discovered, the group was forced to close and liquidate these companies in Italy, Germany and England.

Clashes with rival groups and digital isolation

In the past year, the MEK has found itself increasingly isolated, not only from Iranian public opinion, but also from other opposition factions. Verbal and media clashes between the MEK and royalists, republicans and independent activists have reached new heights. All groups with even a modest base have tried to distance themselves from the MEK to avoid being labelled as foreign-backed or traitors.

In the digital sphere, the MEK has faced increasing isolation. Iranian users of platforms such as Twitter and Instagram have countered any MEK presence or propaganda posts with unmasking, ridicule and mass reporting. The group now faces a wide online backlash and finds no safe space even in the digital world.

A repetitive and ridiculous spectacle: The Annual Conference in Germany

Despite all these failures, the MEK still clings to the spectacle. As in previous years, it plans to hold its annual conference in Germany with a fake audience and hired speakers. This ludicrous spectacle is not only a sign of their rootlessness, but also proof of their total dependence on hired advertising.

According to reports, this year's meeting will once again feature retired and politically irrelevant European and US personalities paid thousands of dollars to speak. Most of the participants will be paid migrants, unconnected individuals or even tourists, paid modest sums just to fill seats. Last year, in fact, many members of the group did not attend, which experts interpreted as a protest against internal crimes, such as the killing of dissenting members and those trying to defect.

Once held in Paris, this conference has now been relegated to small German cities, a clear sign of the sect's gradual disappearance from the Western political scene. Media coverage is limited to sources hired or supported by the Saudis, and no reputable independent journalist takes it seriously. Last year, some speakers even admitted that they only gave their speeches for money and that the statements made did not reflect their personal views or those of their countries.

The mask falls from the “freedom fighters”

The past year has shown that the MEK's claims of fighting for “Iranian freedom” are nothing more than a front for treason, cooperation with Iran's enemies, and an attempt to drag the nation back into foreign dependency. Collaborating with Israeli intelligence, supporting sanctions, calling for military attacks, and trying to destroy Iran's infrastructure are all part of the MEK's documented agenda in recent years.

Under these circumstances, the Iranians do not recognise the MEK as their representative. On the contrary, they consider them rootless traitors with no connection to national ideals. Public opinion, both inside and outside Iran, increasingly rejects this terrorist group.

Outlook: Inevitable collapse, a future in darkness

An overview of the MEK's activities over the past year shows that the group is rapidly sliding towards isolation, defeat and disintegration. Public distrust, the financial crisis, an ageing membership, the physical elimination of internal critics and rejection by the international community are all signs of the end of a failed project.

The group's leaders - some in hiding for years, others like Maryam Rajavi, now mere puppets of warmongering lobbies - have no base, no legitimacy and no conceivable future. The MEK is now just a name, a name that evokes betrayal, terror, deceit and servitude.

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