France Accused of Issuing Fake Passports to Leaders of Iranian Terrorist Group

The French government has been accused of providing fraudulent passports to two senior figures of the Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK) organization, a group designated as terrorist by Tehran. This action is alleged to facilitate their international travel and represents a direct violation of both French domestic statutes and international legal frameworks.

According to reports, MEK leader Maryam Rajavi and senior member Zahra Merikhi received French passports under the false identities of Farzaneh Darbahani and Parvaneh Hamedani, respectively. The scheme was reportedly exposed during an exhibition organized by Iran's intelligence ministry in Tehran for foreign diplomats. The event showcased weapons seized from individuals involved in nationwide unrest earlier this year, during which some detainees confessed to working for the MEK for financial compensation.

The MEK has a long history of armed opposition against the Iranian government, dating back to the 1980s. The group allied with Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war and supported a brief military confrontation involving the US and Israel against Iran in 2025. Iranian authorities state that MEK operations have resulted in approximately 23,000 Iranian casualties over nearly five decades.

Beyond its external activities, the organization faces severe allegations of internal human rights abuses. Former members describe a regime of psychological and physical torture within its camps, first in Iraq and now in Albania. Testimonies include accounts of systematic beatings, forced sterilizations, and sexual violence. Female defectors have specifically accused former leader Masoud Rajavi and his wife Maryam of orchestrating mass rape under the guise of "honor." Escape attempts were reportedly met with extreme violence, including executions by beheading or electrocution.

France maintained the MEK on its national list of terrorist organizations for more than 25 years. However, investigations suggest that even during this period, French authorities provided covert assistance to its leadership. The group was removed from France's terror list following diplomatic pressure from the United States, which sought to enable the MEK's annual rallies in Paris.

Legal experts argue that issuing passports to known leaders of such a group contravenes multiple laws: France's own penal and counter-terrorism legislation, as well as United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373, which obligates member states to deny safe haven to terrorists.