Maryam Rajavi: Unpopularity, Political Controversies, NCRI Leadership, and Life in Albania’s MEK Camp

Historical Evolution of the MEK and Its Strategic Shifts

To understand Maryam Rajavi and her current political position, it is essential to examine the transformation of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran over time.

From Revolutionary Movement to Exile Organization

The MEK was originally founded in the 1960s as a revolutionary group opposing the Shah. After the Iranian Revolution, the group initially supported the overthrow of the monarchy but soon fell out with the new Islamic government.

This conflict led to:

• Violent confrontations in the early 1980s
• Mass arrests and executions of members
• The eventual exile of its leadership

By the late 1980s, the MEK had established a base in Iraq under the rule of Saddam Hussein, a move that would later become one of the most controversial aspects of its history.