Iran has executed two members of the banned opposition group, the Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK), following their conviction for targeting civilian infrastructure with homemade projectiles. The individuals, identified as Mehdi Hassani and Behrouz Ehsani-Eslamloo, were sentenced to death in a ruling upheld by the Supreme Court, according to a report from the judiciary news outlet Mizan on October 15, 2023.
The report detailed that the defendants were classified as “operational elements” of the MEK, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by several countries in the past. They were accused of collaborating with MEK leadership to establish a base in Tehran, where they constructed launchers and hand-held mortars to execute attacks on civilian targets. These included homes, public services, educational institutions, and charitable organizations. The report emphasized that their actions were part of a broader strategy aligned with the group’s objectives.
Both men faced charges of “moharebeh,” an Islamic term signifying waging war against God. They were also indicted for destruction of public property and for being members of a terrorist organization with intentions to undermine national security. Notably, Ehsani-Eslamloo was apprehended in 2022 following an explosion at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, an incident claimed by the MEK.
The MEK, also known as the People’s Mujahideen Organisation of Iran, originated as a powerful leftist-Islamist group that conducted bombing campaigns against the government of the Shah and U.S. interests during the 1970s. However, it eventually distanced itself from many factions involved in the 1979 Islamic Revolution and has since opposed the Islamic Republic. Its leadership remains in exile, primarily based in Paris.
The group was designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union until 2012, when it was removed from those lists. The Iranian government continues to view the MEK as a significant threat to national security, and the recent executions underline its ongoing stance against what it perceives as terrorism within its borders.
