Peloni: Bravo to Jonathan Feldstein! As we possibly move closer to regime change taking shape in Iran, the greatest challenge of all will be to see that MEK is not installed in power in the post-Mullah/IRGC era, neither on the short nor long term basis. Doing so would become just the latest betrayal of the Iranian people by the West. As was explained to me by a confidential source before the war began, the US would need a substantive organization to step up and fill in the gap of governance which would come in the wake of the Mullahs/IRGC collapsing, and the MEK would seamlessly be capable of doing so, as assessed by, and with the support of, far too many in the halls of power inside Washington. As Feldstein explains below, replacing the current regime with MEK would simply lead to the swapping one villainous anti-Western Islamist leadership for another, begging the question as to why that might be. Of course, Feldstein explains this as well.
Jonathan Feldstein
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“People change,” the press “agent” of the front organization for the terrorist MEK wrote to me, trying to convince me – or himself – that he was not taking blood money for promoting these terror groups. In fact, there has been no history, ever, of an Islamic terrorist group “changing,” only using different tactics, titles, and the Islamic principle of taqiyya – lying to infields. In my mind, the “agent” is a traitor of the US and the West, selling out to make a buck.
Who is the “agent” selling out for, why, and why does it matter?
The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK), is one of the most prominent and controversial Iranian opposition groups. Founded in 1965, it evolved from a student-led Marxist revolutionary movement to an exiled organization advocating for regime change in Iran. Its history is of violent confrontations, forced exile, and robust international public relations and lobbying. It’s front organization, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) seeks to pasteurize its terrorist origins and position it as a legitimate player in the broader Iranian landscape.
MEK and NCRI are one in the same, a hand in glove relationship. Rather than a legitimate opposition, they represent a disgruntled and isolated – and very well funded – terrorist group. They are nothing more than wolves in different wolves’ clothes. Sadly, there are many Western leaders who are in their pockets, literally, and others like their “agent” who are on the payroll.
When one speaks of the red-green alliance, MEK/NCRI are the embodiment of that. They blend radical Islam with Marxist revolutionary ideology. MEK always emphasized armed struggle against oppression to achieve its goals. Massoud Rajavi joined in the late 1960s and rose to its leadership after the Shah’s regime executed the founders and other leaders.
In the 1979 Islamic Revolution, MEK supported Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. It gained popularity for its anti-monarchy stance and organizational strength. But they had a fallout with “Supreme Leader” Khomeini and, after violently being put down by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), they turned to terror inside Iran, leading to a brutal crackdown against its members and supporters. Its leaders fled Iran to protect themselves.
Rajavi fled to Paris, establishing NCRI as part of its exiled underground network. It relocated to Iraq in 1986, allying with Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War. This, and participating in the killing of Iranians in order to carry out their terrorist goals, alienated many Iranians and fueled accusations of collaboration with arch-enemy Saddam. Still today, MEK is wildly unpopular and viewed with hatred, as treasonous, by many Iranians.
Through the 1990s and early 2000s, MEK was designated as a terrorist organization by the US, UK, EU, and Canada. But after purportedly renouncing violence in the early 2000s, with no confirmed terrorist acts for which they took credit for over a decade, the West delisted it as a terror group. These decisions were driven largely by geopolitical considerations and challenges in relocating MEK members from Iraq to Albania. After all, nobody wants a terrorist group in their backyard, so a thick coat of whitewash, a slick PR campaign, and international declarations of “reform” made them suddenly palatable. Good neighbors.
But more than actually renouncing terror, the reversal was the product of well-funded intense lobbying, and a media smoke and mirrors scheme such as that which their “agent” is involved. It bears repeating that there are no known instances of Islamic terrorist groups truly renouncing their ideology or use of terror to achieve their goals. Pigs flying and hell freezing over are appropriate metaphors.
Today, MEK/NCRI supporters worship Maryam Rajavi, Massoud’s wife. He has been missing for two decades and presumed dead. They view her words as gospel, her ten-point plan for Iran as coming from Mt. Sinai. On the surface they claim to support a plan for Iran rooted in secular democracy, gender equality, and without nukes. But follow Iranians in Iran and in the diaspora, and you’ll more often than not find them deriding and delegitimizing MEK/NCRI and Rajavi.
Further accusations of MEK/NCRI being cultlike are echoed in the absolute uniformity of “thought” that they present, minimally as if they are reading from the same script, to in fact being brainwashed.
After a personal encounter that became a heated on-air debate with one of their speakers placed by the “agent,” I confronted their “agent” when I heard about him promoting them. “I heard you’re promoting NCRI, is that correct?” Usually, a publicist helps clients formulate the talking points. In this case, the “agent” has been indoctrinated by the client.
After he admitted it, he pedaled that they are “former” terrorists, as if singing a John Lennon anti-war song, insisting “people change.”
I had a prior professional connection with the “agent” and challenged him, “I remember exactly where I was when you called me to ask about them. Your take on who they are and what they represent is mistaken. They are misleading you and the world. You’re being used. Shame that you are placing booking terrorists over integrity.”
Rather than defending himself or responding on the substance, he wrote, “And the baby shah has integrity,” making a childish reference to Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who tens of millions of Iranians support and hope will return to restore Iran from the darkness of the past 47 years. The “agent” is now an expert on who has legitimacy in Iran, referring to the “baby shah” according to the script of his masters who pay him to promote them.
The “agent” doubled down, “Former terrorist entity. There’s a difference. People change. They (MEK/NCRI) are better than imposing a King on them for the new regime. 94 million mostly-Persian citizens deserve better than a King (aka Shah). Don’t you think?”
No sir, don’t YOU think? Clearly not. Not as long as the Marxist-Islamist checks are being cashed.
It’s ironic to defend MEK/NCRI as democratic when the Rajavi dynasty has been in control since the 1980s. Her colorful hijab, as compared to the Islamic Republic’s preferred black, suggests openness, but it’s just a ruse to make you think they want democracy, secular reforms, and gender equality.
The “agent” is pushing MEK/NCRI and Maryam Rajavi as an addicted drug dealer would do to fund his own addiction. Ultimately, the future of Iran needs to be decided by Iranians. But don’t let people like their “agent” and others pull the hijab over your eyes. MEK/NCRI are not to be trusted and, yes, the Iranian people deserve better.
Jonathan Feldstein is president of the Genesis 123 Foundation (www,genesis123.co) whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians and Christians with Israel. He was born and educated in the U.S. and immigrated to Israel in 2004. He is married and the father of six, and grandfather of four (so far).
Two sons and a son in law are currently serving in the IDF and have been involved in combat in Gaza and Lebanon since the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre in Israel.
Jonathan is a leader working with and among Christian supporters of Israel, and shares experiences of living as an Orthodox Jew in Israel through his work, writing, and as host of the Inspiration from Zion podcast. Since the war began, he has authored more than 150 articles, and participated in a similar number of interviews, briefings, prayer events, and more.
Jonathan is working with Christian leaders all over the world to realize a true peace in Gaza, details of which can be found at www.SolutionforPeaceinGaza.com.
In 2023 he published the highly acclaimed book, Israel the Miracle (www.israelthemiracle.com), which makes a great gift for Chanukah and Christmas, and year round.
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