The Movement Of Iran And The Middle East And West - 973 Words

The MEK has a turbulent past and a background of information is needed to understand their relationship with the Middle East and West. The People’s Mujahidin Organization of Iran (MEK) came into existence in the 1960s as an armed guerrilla movement inside of Iran. The original founders of this movement were university students led by Mohammad Hanifnezhad. Homa Katouzian asserts that, â€Å"After the arrest and military trial of their leaders, and especially in consequence of the military suppression of the revolt of June 1963, they, like some other young dissidents in Iran and the West, reached the view that the only avenue open to them was armed struggle. However, they were raided by SAVAK and almost all their leaders and members were arrested in 1971, before they had taken any effective action.† Their movement almost died with them, however they had ideals that appealed to the Iranian people and more would soon follow. Most of the organization adopted a practice of following Marxist-Leninists ideals and political philosophy. The MEK was a militant organization that intended to overthrow the Iranian government. They were deemed as terrorist organization by many western governments. MEK at first was against the West and their influence as they tried to topple the shah in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1980 a second movement was formed between the MEK and Forghan group. Ali Mirsepassi admits, â€Å"The MEK and Forghan Group supported the clerics’ oppositional ideology, thusShow MoreRelatedThe Role Of The Patriot Act And The Middle East1480 Words   |  6 Pageswild fire in the Middle East, the United States entered a war on terror. The budget on defense spending has risen immensely and some economists debate that this large spending had some effect on the recent recession America has faced. 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