TEHRAN- The spokesperson of Iran’s foreign ministry stated that the Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO), a widely recognized terrorist group, has received backing from certain Western nations that profess to uphold human rights. 

In a message posted on his X account on Thursday, Nasser Kanaani highlighted that the anniversary of the martyrdom of Iranian President Mohammad Ali Rajaei and Prime Minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar, both victims of the MKO, coincides with Iran's National Day of Fight against Terrorism. He emphasized that these events serve as poignant reminders of the painful and indelible truths etched in the collective memory of the Iranian people.

Kanaani noted, “The MKO, initially part of a foreign agenda aimed at seizing power in Iran, resorted to assassinations of civilians and officials after their ambitions failed. Subsequently, their terrorist leaders fled to France, where, with the assistance of certain Western governments that advocate for human rights, they continued their violent campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its citizens.”

The Mujahedin Khalq Organization, commonly referred to as the People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI), is an Iranian opposition entity established in 1965 to topple the Iranian political system and operate under a Marxist framework. 

The MKO has a well-documented history of conducting violent and terrorist activities aimed at the Iranian government and its officials during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. 

Moreover, it has been accused of carrying out terrorist acts against civilians in Iran. The organization was designated as a terrorist group by the United States until 2012 and remains classified as a terrorist organization by the European Union.

On August 29, 1981, the Iranian political landscape was profoundly impacted by a tragic event when Iranian President Mohammad Ali Rajaei and Prime Minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar were martyred in a bombing at the Prime Minister's Office in Tehran. 

The attack was claimed by the Mujahedin Khalq Organization, which stands as one of the most lethal assaults on senior government officials in Iran's history, significantly undermining the fledgling Islamic Republic.