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New Book on MEK in Ashraf

Professor Ivan Sascha Sheehan, a counterterrorism scholar and leading authority on U.S. policy toward Iran

This book, entitled “Iran’s Resurgent Resistance”, is based on a bipartisan delegation to Ashraf 3 in Albania, which is the home of thousands of MEK members who were forced to flee Iraq after facing extreme violence from the Iranian regime there, despite the Iraqi government promising to protect them.

In the book, Professor Sheehan discredits reports in Western media that parrot the regime’s narrative that there is no feasible opponent to the mullahs so the only option for Western governments is appeasement.

He says that the Iranian opposition is not only willing and capable of overthrowing the regime to institute democracy, they are also supported by the Iranian people, especially when they are lead by Maryam Rajavi, who has led the Iranian opposition since 1993.

Sheehan wrote: “[The Iranian opposition] was viewed as a movement that is a coherent political opposition that has a ‘long history’ of struggling against both fundamentalism and dictatorship. Maryam Rajavi was seen as a gifted female leader who didn’t beat around the bush but had a clearly defined political platform. It was evident that the MEK with its passionate leader was supported by a ‘network’ of equally ‘passionate supporters’ within Iran and throughout the world. Built into this cohesive group is its determination to overthrow the regime in Tehran from inside. It was like looking into a truly democratic Iran of the future.”

He said the MEK was committed to toppling the regime, which was close to becoming reality because of the presence of Resistance units in Iran undertaking anti-regime activities and encouraging more people to come out for the cause.

Sheehan’s book has been approved by US politicians, many of whom visited Ashraf 3 with him in June 2018, including:

  • former Senator Joseph Lieberman
  • General (Ret.) James T. Conway, 34th Commandant of U.S. Marine Corps
  • former Director of the FBI Louis Freeh
  • Governor Tom Ridge, 1st Secretary of Homeland’s Security
  • former United States Ambassador to Morocco Marc Ginsberg

Of the visit, which took place during a five-day Free Iran conference, Sheehan said that the delegation was amazed by the ‘extraordinary’ and ‘promising’ city that they saw at Ashraf 3, noting that to create a city out of nothing in such short a time showing the structure, discipline, and cohesiveness of the MEK.

He said that they were given unlimited access to Ashraf 3 and its facilities. This allowed them to meet many enthusiastic MEK residents, who had “interesting histories” and “commendable aspirations” for the future of Iran and Iran as a whole.

Sheehan said that on this visit US officials say that the MEK is highly professional, well organized, well informed about Iran’s history and present-day politics, and dedicated to the fight against the regime.

He said that the MEK is a real, viable, democratic alternative to the regime with the leadership, viable political platform, and social network to make change happen and create a brighter future for Iran.

Read More:

Iran Officials Admit to MEK Popularity

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