Middle East Forum: "Rubio should re-declare the MEK as a terrorist organization to attract Iranians."

The Middle East Forum wrote in an article: "Rubio should re-declare the MEK as a terrorist organization to attract Iranians so that Washington understands the message of the Iranian people's voice and shows that it supports their aspirations."

A controversial article has been published on the Middle East Forum website discussing US foreign policy towards Iran and one of the most prominent opposition groups. The author, Michael Rubin, argues that “Rubio should re-designate the MEK as a terrorist organization to win over Iranians,” a proposal that has profound political and diplomatic implications.

Rubin begins by referring to the recent protests and uprisings of the Iranian people, writing: "Iranians are closer than ever to overthrowing a government that most people have hated for decades."

He emphasizes that the Mujahedin-e Khalq group has had a violent history and is considered "terrorist" by many Iranians today, particularly because of bombings that killed hundreds of Iranians and their joining Saddam Hussein's army at the height of the Iran-Iraq War.

Rubin also writes that: “The group has undergone tactical and political changes over the years, but it still has a ‘sectarian’ face and, when interacting with them in the House of Representatives, pretends to be committed to democracy, even while its internal behavior and rhetoric show that it has not changed.”

In one of the key points of the article, he emphasizes that: “Unlike some of his predecessors, Rubio has never accepted bribes from the MEK in the form of financial contributions or fees.” He argues that this has made Rubio “non-committed” to the group and allows him to take decisive steps in policymaking.

Rubin emphasizes that "Rubio's re-designation of the MEK as a terrorist organization, beyond a change in the government list, could demonstrate that Washington understands the aspirations of the Iranian people, considers their friendship, and respects their political will."

While the MEK has already been removed from the terrorist list and there has been much debate over its legitimacy and role in the Iranian opposition over the past decades, Rubio’s move to put the group back on the list could change both domestic US policy and Washington’s relations with Iranians and opposition movements in Iran. The proposal is accompanied by the argument that such a move could show that the United States distinguishes between the Iranian people and groups with a history of violence.

This issue could also provoke broader reactions in the American political scene and Iranian public opinion, as the MEK is one of the most well-known Iranian opposition groups abroad and has a complex history of political and military activity.