On Tuesday, September 17, the Iranian regime staged its 18th mock trial in Tehran, targeting members of the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK), an opposition group that has long been a thorn in the side of the regime.
The court session, widely condemned by international observers, aimed to justify a decree issued nearly 40 years ago by the regime’s late Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini. A centerpiece of this farcical event was the appearance of Hamid Noury, a former prison guard sentenced to life in prison in Sweden for his involvement in the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. Noury’s presence was staged for maximum media exposure, following Sweden’s controversial decision to hand him over to Tehran. This move has been criticized as appeasement of Iran’s hostage-taking tactics, underscoring Tehran’s disregard for international justice.
The trial featured a range of figures, including Dehghani, the acting judge, who brazenly addressed the United Nations and human rights organizations. Dehghani demanded that foreign governments extradite alleged “terrorists” to Iran for prosecution. This ironic call for international cooperation comes from a regime known as one of the leading state sponsors of terrorism. Dehghani attempted to frame Iran as a beacon of justice, claiming, “The Islamic Republic, unlike the United States, does not breach the sovereignty of nations under the guise of counter-terrorism.”
Perhaps the most disturbing element of the trial was the speech delivered by Ali Sedaghat, a self-proclaimed expert on religious principles. Sedaghat grotesquely sought to justify the 1988 massacre, in which 30,000 political prisoners—mostly MEK members—were executed. He falsely characterized the prisoners as military operatives planning attacks and claimed they had been rightly punished for their refusal to repent.
Iranian state television broadcasted this sham trial as part of a broader effort to intimidate domestic dissent, particularly among the younger generation, and pressure foreign governments to distance themselves from the MEK. The regime’s ultimate goal is clear: rewrite history, portray its victims as aggressors, and evade accountability for its decades of human rights violations.
For a regime condemned over 70 times by the United Nations for its human rights abuses, these mock trials are another attempt to deceive the international community and escape responsibility for its atrocities. However, international outrage over these events continues to mount, casting doubt on Iran’s ability to rewrite the past and escape justice.
MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu