Le Monde, France, 30 Sep, 2012 – Washington removes Iranian dissidents from its list. A decision that without a doubt will we analyzed by Tehran’s regime as a hostile act. The removal of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, the opposition movement to the Iranian regime, from the US FTO list was made official on Friday, September 28th by the State Department.
This decision, succeeding similar decisions by the EU in 2009 and UK in 2008, will end 15-years of restrictions in the US. This decision acknowledges an unprecedented verdict issued by the Washington, DC Court of Appeals. The verdict had ordered the US Government to delist the PMOI before October 1st.
Moreover, this verdict was implemented coincident with the resolution of the faith of 3400 PMOI members – whom during Saddam Hussein’s era in the 1980s and 1990s were carrying out their struggle while stationed at Camp Ashraf.
There is no doubt that this decision will push the madness of the Islamic Republic, which has been in a non-stop pursuit of this organization that struggled against the Shah and then turned its weapons against the fundamentalists in Tehran.
Tehran’s regime is furious about the revelation of its uranium enrichment activities before the international community.
The Obama Administration and European capitals that are still pursuing a path of dialogue towards the Iranian regime’s controversial nuclear program are showing caution. In France, a judicial investigation that was launched in 2003 over ‘terrorism’ charges against the movement was closed in 2011 after the issuance of a non-prosecution ruling.
“We propose a non-nuclear Iran, peace, security, democracy, human rights, stability, construction, friendship, as well as respect for international laws and conventions”, said Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, in a published statement while commending US’ decision.
Despite disappointments, the PMOI has had a great ability to gather and promote people in the Iranian diaspora, which is visible in the movement’s massive annual gatherings. One thing is for certain: the PMOI has established a remarkable network of representatives and decision-makers in Western countries. This is a campaign that could be effective on either war or negotiations with the Iranian regime.