TOMA LÁ

n the Name of God the Almighty The Press Section of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Bern, while presenting its greetings, with regard to the US State Department decision to remove the MKO from its list of foreign terrorist organizations on Friday 28th September 2012, has the honor to draw your kind attention to the following points: 1. The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the United States Government decision to remove the Mojahedine Khalq Organization (MKO) from its list of terrorist groups. Even though the list is not reliable and creditable but removal of such a vicious and brutal terrorist sect which is clearly and entirely abominable by Iranian nation as a whole, showed another anti-Iran measure and proved that American Gvernment actions are not based on logic. 2. This measure is interpreted in the direction of using such notorious terrorist groups to fulfill further malicious objectives. In other words delisting of this terrorist organization has been accomplished to continue employing it in acts of sabotage inside Iran. It is just another example of double standard, endless hostility and state terrorism. 3. MKO was formed in the 1960s. The Organization is known by a variety of names including: Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), The National Liberation Army of Iran (NLA), Peoples’ Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI) and National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). After the victory of the Iranian revolution, MKO revealed its cultish nature and adapted terroristic strategies and started terrorist operations. 4. In June 1980, hundreds of innocent Iranians were beheaded by razors, assassinated by gunmen and killed by other means of terror. On 28 June 1981, they detonated a bomb at the headquarters of the Islamic Republic Party. In this explosion around 70 high-ranking officials, including Chief Justice, cabinet ministers, and elected members of parliament, were martyred. Two months later on August 30, they detonated another bomb killing the popular and elected president Mohammad Ali Rajai and the Prime Minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar. In addition, more than twelve thousand innocent Iranians were also slaughtered with the most violent methods by these terrorists from then till now. 5. During eight years of imposed war by the former dictator, Saddam Hussein, against Iran, MKO transferred its headquarters to Iraq. Afterward, the MKO received all of its military support and most of its financial assistance including the "terror" camp of Ashraf by the Iraqi government. MKO in Iraq fought against their own people who were combating to release their occupied territory. During the sacred defensive war, MKO members were acting as mercenaries of the Iran's enemy in killing yet hundreds of thousands more of Iranian people. 6. During first Persian Gulf War in 1991, the MKO even assisted the Saddam's regime in suppressing the Kurdish and Shiite uprisings in Iraq by killing thousands of the innocent Iraqi people as well. Members of the MKO, who have assassinated and murdered thousands of Iranian civilians and top officials since 1979, have no iota of support within Iran. 7. Now, the US Government has removed the group from its list of terrorist organizations. Hence, Iran will hold the US accountable for any future crimes by this grouplet against the Iranian nation in any part of the world. The press section of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran avails itself of this opportunity to renew the assurances of its highest consideration