TIRANA, July 2 – The Embassy of Iran to Tirana strongly reacted to the attendance of Albanian Minister for Diaspora Pandeli Majko at the annual meeting of the Iranian opposition group known as Mujahedin e Khalq (MEK) in Paris, saying it contradicts the official stand of Albania concerning the country’s internal conflict.
Head of the Republican Party Fatmir Mediu also attended the mujahedins annual meeting, themed this year “Freed Iran.”
The Embassy’s press announcement said it was asked to comment on Majko’s and other Albanian personalities’ presence in the “propagandistic meeting of the terrorist sect.”
“We let you know that the presence and speeches of the above-mentioned completely oppose the official position of the Republic of Albania and has placed the public opinion in front of the important question of which one of the experiences of this terrorist sect has managed to win the Minister of Diaspora over?”
Shortly after, Majko reacted to the embassy’s announcement, referring to Albania’s decision to accommodate more than 3,000 Mujahideen fighters as a rationale behind his participation at the MEK meeting.
“Albania has offered shelter ‘under the umbrella of the United Nations’ to the so-called ‘terrorists’ respecting all international documents. Any other allusion is a provocation not worth any explanations,” Majko said.
The MEK group has been offered accommodation in Albania under a deal with the United States despite Iran’s consideration of them as terrorist. The group was also part of the US’ list of terrorist groups for several years, until it was removed in 2012 .
In this context, more than 3,000 Mujahideen were offered shelter in Albania, straining the country’s relations with Iran slightly, but also raising concern and confusion among locals.
