In the shifting landscape of Iranian opposition politics, few organizations have been as duplicitous, dangerous, and outright fraudulent as the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), operating under the banner of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). Now, with a carefully packaged “roadmap” for Iran’s transition, Maryam Rajavi—the leader of this deeply cult-like organization—attempts to sell a fantasy of democracy, human rights, and justice. But behind this populist masquerade lies a group with a bloody history of terrorism, human rights abuses, forced marriages, child separation, and a rigid, authoritarian structure that mirrors the very dictatorship it claims to oppose.
A Past Stained with Terror and Treason
The MEK’s origins tell a story not of freedom fighters, but of ideological fanatics whose allegiances have always been dictated by self-preservation rather than principle. Founded in the 1960s as a bizarre mix of Marxist-Leninist ideology and Islamist extremism, the MEK initially sought to overthrow the Shah through armed struggle, assassinating American military advisors in Iran in the process. After the 1979 revolution, they quickly turned against the Islamic Republic, launching a brutal campaign of bombings and assassinations that killed thousands, including high-ranking Iranian officials, clerics, and innocent civilians.
When their terrorist insurgency failed, the MEK did what no true opposition force would ever contemplate: they fled to Iraq and allied themselves with Saddam Hussein—at the height of his war against Iran. From their base in Camp Ashraf, the MEK became mercenaries for the Ba’athist dictator, spying on Iran and even participating in the brutal suppression of Kurdish and Shia uprisings in Iraq. Their betrayal is etched into Iranian collective memory; few acts are as unforgivable as siding with a foreign dictator in the midst of a devastating war.
The Cult of Rajavi: Forced Marriages, Child Separation, and Psychological Abuse
Despite its rebranding efforts, the MEK remains a totalitarian cult that demands absolute obedience to Maryam Rajavi, who rules with an iron grip. The organization’s internal operations are rife with psychological control, coercion, and even physical abuse. Members are cut off from the outside world, forced into celibacy, and subjected to “ideological purification” sessions designed to strip them of independent thought.
One of the most horrifying aspects of MEK rule is its history of forced marriages and child separation. Under the orders of Massoud and Maryam Rajavi, couples within the MEK were forcibly divorced, and their children were taken away and sent to orphanages abroad or raised within MEK training camps. Some of these children, now adults, have spoken out about the emotional and physical trauma they endured. Reports from defectors detail rampant abuse, with young women being groomed to pledge loyalty to Maryam Rajavi in a twisted, quasi-religious ritual.
Defectors who have managed to escape the MEK’s iron grip describe it as a place of brainwashing and torture, where members who question Rajavi’s leadership are subjected to brutal punishments, including solitary confinement and physical beatings. The organization’s totalitarian structure, obsessive secrecy, and strict control over members’ lives bear more resemblance to North Korea than to any democratic movement.
The “Roadmap” Is a Lie—A Cheap Populist Illusion
In an attempt to whitewash its past, Maryam Rajavi has presented a so-called “roadmap” for Iran’s future, filled with empty promises of democracy, human rights, and gender equality. But history proves that this is nothing more than a deception—a desperate effort to gain credibility in Western circles while maintaining a cult-like dictatorship over its own members.
The NCRI’s claim to support democracy is laughable considering that within the MEK, there is no democracy, no free speech, and no dissent. Their promise of human rights is a grotesque contradiction given their own track record of torture, forced divorces, and child abuse. Their calls for a free Iran ring hollow when their own organization functions as an authoritarian regime in exile.
The MEK is not, and never will be, a legitimate alternative to the Islamic Republic. It is a dangerous cult with a long record of betraying Iran, abusing its own members, and deceiving Western policymakers with false promises. The Iranian people will never accept them, nor should the world.The road to Iran’s liberation does not pass through the hands of Rajavi’s cult. It must be forged by those who truly stand for democracy, national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and human dignity—not by a discredited organization whose past and present prove it is unfit to play any role in Iran’s future.
