Iran puts premium on serious pursuit of terrorists: Intel ministry

Iran's Intelligence Ministry says it is seriously pursuing terrorists beyond the country's borders in the wake of a successful operation that resulted in arresting agents affiliated to the terrorist Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO).

In a Sunday statement, the ministry praised the government of Albania for its recent action against the MKO terrorists during a raid on a camp belonging to the anti-Iran group in the northwest of the capital Tirana. The ministry said the Albanian police operation was a “step forward.”

According to the statement, in contacts with European intelligence-security services, the Iranian ministry has issued repeated warnings vis-à-vis the continuation of the MKO's terrorist acts from various Western countries, particularly their central camp in Albania.

Iran's Intelligence Ministry said it has issued the necessary warnings against any negligence by the countries hosting the MKO.

The ministry “once again reiterates that the Islamic Republic of Iran has put the hunt for the terrorists beyond the borders high on its agenda.”

Based on authentic intelligence, it said, a number of notorious sponsors of terrorism in Europe and the United States seek to revive the MKO “under the direction and influence of the Zionist murderers.”

The MKO has carried out numerous terrorist attacks against Iranian civilians and government officials since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Out of the nearly 17,000 Iranians killed in terrorist attacks over the past four decades, about 12,000 have fallen victim to the MKO’s acts of terror.

Albanian police forces raided the MKO camp, known as Ashraf-3, on June 20 due to its engagement in “terror and cyber attacks” against foreign institutions. Authorities seized 150 computer devices linked to terrorist activities. At least one person was killed and dozens of others were injured during the clashes at the camp.

More than a week later, police in Albania entered the Ashraf-3 camp again and security forces were deployed at the entrance to the camp and controlled all vehicles leaving the site.

The European Union, Canada, the United States, and Japan had previously listed the MKO as a "terrorist organization."

In 2012, the group was taken off the US list of terrorist organizations. The EU followed suit, removing the group from its list of terrorist organizations.

Iran's Intelligence Ministry vowed to continue its relentless anti-terror fight until full eradication of those terrorists that commit acts of sabotage against Iran as proxies for the Israeli regime with the support of the Iranian nation's enemies.

MG