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The Problem with the U.S.-Backed Opposition outside Iran

(Washington Post) Mehdi Khalaji - High-level members of the U.S. administration and others opposed to Iran's regime have long seen some outside Iranian opposition groups as saviors for the oppressed Iranian people. Unfortunately, these groups offer little hope for the future: they lack intellectual rigor, suffer from deep political divisions, and are missing organizational competence on the ground. Groups such as the Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK) and the Iranian monarchy-in-exile are seen as key players in a rosy scenario that envisions the wholesale abdication of the ruling regime, an end to Tehran's quest for regional hegemony and Iran's transformation into a liberal secular democracy, friendly toward the U.S. and its allies in the region. However, foreign support for the opposition would feed into the regime's propaganda that these groups are "foreign agents" and could very well be the kiss of death for any sort of popular opposition to the Islamic republic. The writer is a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
2019-05-24 00:00:00
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