Whenever Tehran faces a crisis, it predictably dispatches its proxies to disseminate venomous propaganda against its principal opposition: the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and the broader coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), of which the MEK is a prominent member.
In this ongoing saga, Eldar Mamedov, a Latvian, has re-emerged with an article replete with stale and thoroughly discredited claims churned out by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), targeting Javier Zarzalejos, a notable member of the European People’s Party (EPP) and chair of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
This latest tirade, titled "MEK’s shadow in European Parliament," by Mamedov, ever-so-dedicated to Iran’s theocracy, appears in the so-called "Responsible Statecraft," a lofty title for a platform run by the notorious Tehran lobbyist in Washington, DC, Trita Parsi. Here we go again with Mamedov's typical recipe for drama.The litany of old, patently false, and often-debunked allegations in the article hardly merits a response, given the wealth of well-researched, documented, and scholarly work that has previously refuted these claims.
It's unsurprising why Mamedov has aimed his sights at Mr. Zarzalejos. In a January 2024 meeting in Brussels, attended by several MEPs, Zarzalejos unveiled a damning report about the Iranian regime’s functionaries and lobbyists weaving a complex web of influence within the European Parliament. Mamedov, ever the star of such tales, was notably one of the most active figures in this network, which likely prompted his pitiful attempt at character assassination against Zarzalejos.
The backdrop of Mamedov's own career could rival any political thriller. Remember "Qatargate"? That sizzling scandal from December 2022 which shook the European Parliament with its tales of corruption and intrigue. Police investigation led to charges of criminal enterprise, money laundering, and corruption, ensnaring several MEPs. And yes, Mamedov was linked to that too, not to mention his cozy ties with the Iranian regime that seem just a tad too close for comfort.
In 2007, Mamedov briefly visited Iran and then secured a position as a foreign policy advisor within the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) group in the European Parliament. Working in close coordination with the Iranian Embassy in Brussels, he consistently promoted the Iranian agenda at various events and through media channels.
According to the Italian daily Corriere Della Sera, Mamedov has been quite the busy lobbyist, hobnobbing with Iranian officials and promoting Tehran’s talking points across Brussels. He was frequently seen with Iranian regime officials, including former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. He claimed to have visited Iran in 2020 at the invitation of the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), a think tank of the Iranian foreign ministry, to promote a dialogue initiative in the Persian Gulf. Quite the globetrotter, our Mr. Mamedov.
According to AZE media, Mamedov's ties with Iranian representatives in America were deemed too close by the US secret service, prompting his recall from the Latvian Embassy in the United States and his subsequent resignation from the Latvian Foreign Ministry.
Ultimately, Mamedov was expelled by the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) group in the European Parliament and referred to the Belgian authorities as part of an investigation into alleged foreign interference, according to Politico. Yet, in recent weeks, he was sighted, still haunting the corridors of the European Parliament, seemingly on a quest to find just the right nook from which to resume his endeavors on behalf of the mullahs’ regime.
If there's truly a shadow cast over the European Parliament to be concerned about, it's Mamedov and like minded characters —not the MEK’s. The MEK has been embraced not only by hundreds of MEPs across the entire political spectrum but also by over 4,000 lawmakers in 50 countries, including majorities in 34 legislatures and 137 former world leaders, ministers, ambassadors, and heads of international organizations.
Certainly, finding evidence of FoFI's total transparency is effortlessly straightforward. Its members not only sign public declarations but also actively participate in numerous conferences both within and outside the European Parliament. Clearly, it would take someone harboring a deep-seated vendetta to dismiss these abundantly clear facts.
Predictably, Mamedov has found a new role at Parsi’s Quincy Institute, where he continues to echo the Iranian regime's narrative alongside a collective of Tehran advocates in the U.S. and Europe. He has consistently championed pro-Iranian regime positions and maintained close connections with Trita Parsi. Quite the career path for someone so dedicated to the art of subtle diplomacy!
For more than a decade, Mamedov has danced this dance, ever loyal to the Iranian regime and its narratives. But as they say in showbiz, all good things must come to an end, and Mamedov's act seems to be wearing thin. Let's see how long the curtain stays up on this performance.
Struan Stevenson is the Coordinator of the Campaign for Iran Change (CiC). He was a member of the European Parliament representing Scotland (1999-2014), president of the Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Iraq (2009-14) and chairman of the Friends of a Free Iran Intergroup (2004-14). He is an author and international lecturer on the Middle East.