Saudi network ’utterly shameless’ in airing anti-Iran terrorists event: Iranian UK envoy

Iran’s ambassador to the UK decries a Saudi-funded London-based television network that has been set up with the aim of smearing the Islamic Republic for its “utter shamelessness” in broadcasting the annual gathering of an anti-Iran terrorist cult.

“By broadcasting the gathering of the terrorist Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) that is the murderer of tens of thousands of innocent Iranians, the Saudi Iran International network displayed its full-scale obscenity and shamelessness,” Hamid Baeidinejad tweeted on Saturday.

The MKO has a squalid history of assassinations and bombings against the Iranian government and nation. It notoriously sided with Saddam Hussein during the former Iraqi dictator’s 1980-88 war on Iran.

Out of the nearly 17,000 Iranians killed in terrorist assaults since the victory of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, about 12,000 have fallen victim to the MKO’s acts of terror.

New York Times visits anti-Iran terrorist group’s lair, observes cult-like modus operandi

The New York Times is given access to inside a secretive facility housing anti-Iran Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) terrorists in the Albanian capital, Tirana, noticing and recounting the cult-like nature of the group.

Western countries, topped by the United States, have, however, taken the group out of their terror blacklists.

The group throws lavish conferences every year in Paris, with certain American, Western, and Saudi officials as its guests of honor. These include former US national security advisor John Bolton, US President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, and former Saudi Arabian spy chief, Prince Turki Al Faisal.

Saudi raises ante in hostility with Iran by attending terrorist gathering

Saudi Arabia’s former intelligence chief takes part in an MKO gathering in Paris in a gesture of support for the anti-Iran terrorist group.

This year’s event that was aired by Iran International at its full six-hour length on Friday was being held virtually as a precaution against the new coronavirus.

In addition to Giuliani, one of the group’s staunchest supporters, 18 sitting US senators were among those who addressed this year’s event, Reuters reported.

This is not the first time that the Saudi-funded network serves as anti-Iran terrorists’ mouthpiece.

In 2018, shortly after an attack by al-Ahwaziya, another Saudi-backed anti-Iran terrorist outfit, killed 25 people in southwestern Iran, the channel allowed the outfit's spokesman to go live on air to defend the act of terror.

Baeidinejad said both the interview and the Friday broadcast “has been conducted on the orders of the network’s Saudi owners.”

“Money, however, is not everything,” the envoy added in reference to the hefty sums that Riyadh allocates to such anti-Iran efforts.

The Reuters’ report, meanwhile, refused to identify the Paris-based MKO by its name, instead referring to it as "an umbrella bloc of opposition groups in exile.”

The attempt at glorifying the ferocious outfit and glossing over its history was, however, met by furious reactions among Iranian social media frequenters.

“Referring to NCRI as “an umbrella bloc of opposition groups in exile” is verging on fabrication. Conspicuous omission of the group’s actual name: MEK (MKO),” tweeted Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder and publisher of Bourse & Bazaar-- a media company supporting business diplomacy between Europe and Iran.

Even Reuters, itself, admitted to the questionable “nature of the support that attends its (MKO’s) gatherings, which usually draws thousands of people, and the motivations of its speaker list that includes a raft of former politicians and lawmakers.”

Numerous reports have emerged showing how the MKO lures youths around the world into the gatherings by promising them free ticket and stay. Leaks have also surfaced of astronomical paychecks handed over to the passionate-sounding former and current politicians that join the meetings.

The group’s current ringleader is Maryam Rajavi. The former ringleader, Massoud Rajavi, has made no public appearance since 2003, raising speculations that he might be dead even though the terrorist outfit does not confirm that.

In his 2016 speech at the MKO’s annual event, Al Faisal referred to the duo as “Mrs. Maryam Rajavi and your late husband Massoud Rajavi.”

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir