Rajavi's Move to Iraq Part of New Phase in War Against Iran

The Associated Press
Sunday, June 8, 1986
By SAMIR F. GHATTAS, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Massoud Rajavi, the leader of Iran's main opposition group, left France and came to Iraq to lead an armed struggle against Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's regime, the group announced Sunday.

Rajavi and his wife, Maryam, head the leftist Iranian People's Mujahedeen Resistance. They arrived here Saturday from Paris where they had been living in exile since fleeing Iran in 1981.

A delegation of high-ranking Iraqi officials including Cabinet ministers were at the airport to greet them after their hasty departure from France.

Rajavi's arrival was reported in state-run newspapers, but nothing was said about his whereabouts and activities.

It is not known if he has been granted asylum, and officials were not available for comment Sunday.

Rajavi left Paris came amid stepped-up French efforts to win freedom for nine Frenchmen kidnapped in Lebanon. Iran is thought to have connections with the Islamic Jihad _ or Islamic Holy War _ group that claims to hold four of the hostages. Islamic Jihad pledges loyalty to Khomeini, Iran's spiritual and political leader.

Vice Premier Ali Reza Moayeri of Iran said May 22 that his country demanded the extradition of exiles "with blood on their hands," which was believed to be a clear reference to Rajavi. On the same day, French Premier Jacques Chirac said his government would crack down on activities incompatible with political asylum in France.

But a Mujahedeen statement distributed in London said Rajavi left France by choice as the first step in moving an armed struggle into Iran.

The statement claimed that over 1,000 Mujahedeen fighters had gradually left France for Iraq “with the aim of joining the resistance based on Iranian borders.” Iraq and Iran have been locked in a border war since September 1980.

The Mujahedeen statement said Rajavi went from Baghdad's airport to Najaf and Karbala, two Shiite Moslem holy cities in southern Iraq.

Imam Ali, founder of the Shiite sect and a cousin of Islam's prophet Mohammed is buried in Najaf, 93 miles south of Baghdad. Karbala, 64 miles south of Baghdad, is the site where Imam Hussein, a son of Imam Ali, is buried.

Rajavi's visit to the cities was seen as a further gesture against Iran, which sought in a recent offensive to capture the two holy shrines.

Khomeini led his resistence movement from Najaf between 1965 and 1978, when he was kicked out of Iraq and moved to France. His power base in France was judged more effective because the advanced communication system made it easier for him to transmit his taped messages against the regime of Shah Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown in January 1979 and died in exile in Egypt in July 1980.

A Western diplomat here, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the difficult nature of the Iran-Iraq border would help Rajavi's men establish close contact with Mujahedeen guerrillas operating inside Iran.

Rajavi already has a radio station, believed to be operating from Iraq, that broadcasts anti-Khomeini propaganda.