TEHRAN - In a recent press briefing, Iranian deputy president for legal affairs Mohammad Dehghan unveiled the government's resolute efforts to prosecute members of the terrorist group Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization or MKO.

Dehghan underscored the 13th government's unwavering commitment to bringing these offenders to trial, highlighting the consequence of neglecting their past crimes, which he claimed allowed them to escape punishment.

Detailing the ongoing trials, Dehghan stated that the government has diligently addressed the issue since its inception, with multiple sessions dedicated to investigating complaints against the accused and examining the crimes they have committed.

He further elaborated on the proactive role played by the Ministry of Intelligence under the current administration. According to Dehghan, the Ministry actively gathered evidence related to the crimes of the MKO members and presented the collected documents to the judiciary. In response, the judicial system expressed interest and initiated legal proceedings against the accused individuals.

Reflecting on historical shortcomings, Dehghan lamented a past failure in pursuing the crimes of these individuals in Iranian courts. He argued that this failure had allowed them to escape justice, despite their involvement in serious crimes.

Emphasizing the gravity of the alleged crimes, Dehghan characterized the accused as innovators of terrorism in recent decades, accusing them of committing heinous acts against the people. While acknowledging the missed opportunities for justice in the past, he praised the 13th government for its current diligent pursuit of justice, noting significant progress in the ongoing judicial proceedings.

Since the victory of Islamic Revolution in 1979, the MKO has conducted numerous terrorist attacks targeting both Iranian civilians and government officials. Approximately 12,000 out of nearly 17,000 Iranians killed in terrorist incidents over the past forty years have been victims of the MKO's terrorism.

Previously, the European Union, Canada, the United States, and Japan all classified the MKO as a "terrorist organization."

However, in 2012, the United States removed the group from its list of designated terrorist organizations. Following suit, the European Union also delisted the MKO from its own roster of terrorist organizations.