Families of Iranian terror victims denounce Albania for hosting MKO terrorists
The families of Iranian terror victims published a letter on Monday, criticizing Albania for hosting the anti-Iran terrorist group, the Mujahedin Khalq Organization known as MKO, which is responsible for killing thousands of Iranians in its acts of terror.
The letter, addressing the Albanian nation, was issued five days after Albania cut diplomatic ties with Iran over July cyberattacks which Tirana blamed on Tehran. The Islamic Republic called the accusation baseless and a miscalculated measure in international relations.
The letter referred to what it called a secret deal between the US and Albania almost ten years ago when the latter accepted to receive the MKO members in return for $20 million.
The letter said that Albania accepted to host more than 2,000 members of the terror group after they were expelled from Iraq and at a time when other countries, including the United States itself, refused to do so.
The letter also criticized Albania for violating its commitment not to allow the MKO to take anti-Iran measures while on Albanian soil, saying that the country has unfortunately turned into a hub for interference by the terror group and countries hostile to Iran.
The letter slammed Albanian officials, from parliamentarians to other politicians, including the president, for their constant meetings with the head of the MKO, adding that the meetings show that Tirana has put itself among the enemies of Iran without having a clear understanding of the capability of an Iranian response.
The letter then named more than a dozen occasions when Albanian and American officials visited the MKO camp in Tirana, saying that all these visits prove why the Iranian people are of the belief that the Albanian government is knowingly taking steps in a hostile path against their country and is cooperating on planning and implementing acts of sabotage against Iran.
Simultaneously with these meetings, cyberattacks were increased against Iran and the MKO escalated its sabotage acts and terror activities against different Iranian centers and locations, the letter added.
It also referred to Albania’s recent decision to cut diplomatic ties with Iran, saying that the move was taken under the influence of certain countries and the MKO terror group.
The letter also said that the Albanian government is rapidly turning the country into a center creating crises for security in Europe, the Balkans, and Iran, adding that the Albanian authorities seem to have forgotten that they are backing a terror group that has taken responsibility for killing more than 12,000 Iranian people and officials.
The letter rejected claims by the Albanian authorities that their country is hosting “the Iranian opposition” members, calling the claim an attempt to deceive the public to justify the hosting of a terrorist group.
The Albanians are hospitable, but hosting a terrorist organization is not hospitability, the letter said, adding that it is a deception to accept a group that had been refused in other parts of the world due to security threats and legal consequences it posed.
The letter at the end called on the Albanian people to be aware of the threats and repercussions caused by the presence of the MKO terror group in their country, saying that all terrorists should be contained and brought to justice in order that sustainable peace and security are established in the world.