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The Iranian regime, widely recognized as the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, consistently emphasizes a critical concern in various media outlets—news, television programs, and even feature films. This concern revolves around alerting the younger generation in Iran to what the regime perceives as a significant threat: the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI-MEK).
In a recent move against the MEK, Mohammad-Sadegh Koushki, a former interrogator for the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, who now identifies himself to the media as a university professor, granted an interview to the state-run newspaper Hamshahri. In this interview, he warned about the perceived dangers of the MEK to the younger generation. Koushki, known for his involvement in interrogating numerous MEK supporters over the past decades, was portrayed by the media as an “expert on the MEK issue.”
Given the evident agenda behind the interview, it is crucial to approach Koushki’s statements with a recognition of the regime’s perspective, employing a filter of “reverse language.” Nevertheless, examining these statements helps understand the regime’s stance toward what it deems a significant adversary.
Indirectly admitting to how Iranians have been attracted to the organization, Koushki claimed, “At a time when the internet became a daily phenomenon and the internet became accessible to the general public, the MEK expanded its activities on the internet and used the internet as a medium and audience… gradually by the end of 2000s and 2010s, they adopted another method for attracting audiences and forces.”
#Iran News in Brief
Mohammad Sadegh Kushki, former MOIS interrogator: "It is rational to demand that the #internet must be free from vulgarity, and if our virtual space becomes lawful, we will no longer witness so many riots."#internetshutdownhttps://t.co/cbkdl4OdeA pic.twitter.com/c42vfkNzKQ— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) September 22, 2022
When asked, “How do they communicate with young people so easily?” Koushki said, “With the spread of the internet and its ubiquity on mobile phones, the performance of the MEK became much broader and deeper… The axis of the MEK’s narrative in its communications was victimhood. They introduced the organization as a democratic organization that is freedom-loving and that the Islamic Republic has killed and massacred tens of thousands of members of the organization. They were so inculcated that now the best alternative to the Islamic Republic is this organization.”
Regarding the question of whether young individuals receive payment for their involvement with the MEK, Koushki clarified, “No, they are actually required to cover their own expenses for participating in these activities. The organization itself does not provide financial support. Individuals collaborating with Western and Israeli intelligence services are compensated for their work.”
In response to inquiries about recent recruitment instances, Koushki acknowledged the involvement of the MEK in the uprisings that have occurred in recent years.
He confirmed, “Regrettably, there have been instances of recruiting students from renowned universities like Sharif University using the internet and mobile phones, effectively turning them into the organization’s operative forces within the university. There was another layer aimed at the broader public, evident in the unrest of 2017, 2019, and 2022.”
He elaborated, “We observed activities such as slogan-writing, violent actions, and the creation of posters and leaflets for the organization’s leaders, particularly during the unrest of 2022. Additionally, there were widespread propaganda activities by the organization without explicitly mentioning the People’s Mojahedin, reaching a broad audience.”
#Iran News in Brief
A website affiliated with the Iranian regime's MOIS demonstrated Tehran's intensified concerns about the influence of the Mojahedin-e-Khalq Organization (#MEK) inside Iran's society, especially among Iranian youth.
https://t.co/s2Y7Lb4DmE pic.twitter.com/fqToRq5XFY— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) September 7, 2022
During the interview, Koushki claimed that “the MEK continues to attract teenagers and ordinary young people” and that “the organization still has this approach and attracts people. They produce and disseminate various political, social, and security content in the form of images and comical clips, but with content that opposes the system.
As a solution to counter the MEK’s influence in Iranian society, the former MOIS interrogator suggested, “I do not advocate or endorse implementing limiting internet measures today. In my opinion, the way to address this situation is to manage internet usage. If Iran enacts a law with such criteria, it could potentially resolve many of the associated problems.”
Also read:
MEK’s Role in Shaping Iran’s Political Landscape Analyzed in Revealing Conversation
The MEK’s Growing Influence Sparks Iran Regime’s Fear and Desperation
Amb. Lincoln Bloomfield: Iran’s Regime Invests Heavily in Propaganda to Influence Foreign Capitals
