Iraq is Intent on Expelling MKO; Talks Start with European Ambassadors

According to the Iraqi National Security Advisor, Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, some members of the Mojahedin-e-Khalgh Organization (MKO) will be tried in Iraq and a group will be consigned to the Iranian government in two months. Iranian Diplomacy has interviewed Mohsen Hakim, political advisor to head of the Iraqi Coalition:

For several times the Iraqi government has announced its plans to expel MKO members from of its territory. Is it intent this time?

Since the new Christian year Iraq has become in charge of Ashraf military base security, taking full responsibility. Based on UN resolutions and the Iraqi constitution which has prohibited than any terrorist group stay in its territory, MKO’s presence in Iraq is totally illegal and they have to leave Iraq as soon as possible.

Before the recent developments, the MKO dossier was in hands of Americans. Therefore all efforts by Iraq to solve the problem failed. But from the new Christian year and based on the security pact between Iraq and the United States, security affairs have been consigened to the Iraqi government and they are intent to expel MKO members from the country.

Are there any problems in returning MKO members to their respective countries?

Since 914 of the roughly 3400 residents of the Ashraf military base are European citizens or related to European countries in one way or another, in the following days the Iraqi government will consult European ambassadors so those members who can, will return to Iran and others will be sent to European countries.

Five hundred members have been pardoned by Iran and returned to their own country. But there are one hundred members who are on the black list and prosecuted by the Iranian government.

What is Iran’s main request regarding expulsion of MKO members from the Iraqi soil?

As far as I know Iran doesn’t have any specific demand other than MKO members leaving Iraq as soon as possible. Iran’s basic request is the expulsion of those terrorists who have blood of Iranians on their hand. Thirteen thousand Iranians have been the victim of MKO terrorist attacks, including many well-known officials and members of the Jomhouri-e-Eslami (Islamic Republic) Party. So Iran’s request is reasonable. In addition, Iraq has some international and national legal commitments. New Iraq’s policy is oriented towards peaceful co-existence and non-interference in domestic affairs of other countries.

How do you see the initial agreement between European countries to remove MKO from the list of terrorist groups?

With the dark history of MKO, even Bush’s administration hasn’t removed their name from the list of terrorist groups. So I don’t think the European Union would remove MKO from the list that easily, considering that some European countries insist on keeping their name on the black list.

What do you think about United States and France’s opposition to European countries agreement?

There is plenty of evidence which proves MKO is a terrorist organization. That’s why since 1997 United States and since 2000 Europe have transferred MKO’s name from the list of terrorist groups to the black list. The Iraqi government has also evidence on their crimes. I now state that some MKO members who are staying in Ashraf military base will be under judiciary investigation in a few days, since the related verdicts have been issued.