Déjà Vu: Another Misleading Narrative on the MEK
Shortly after a dissident Iranian group, “Ghyamsarnegoni, (Rise to Overthrow),” penetrated the computer servers of the Iranian regime's presidency, acquiring an abundance of classified documents and inflicting a severe blow upon the mullahs, Michael Rubin has once again come to the regime's rescue by bashing Iran’s principal opposition group, Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK).
Rubin's sporadic emergence from the shadows, reminiscent of Tehran's cryptic oracle, is marked by his consistent yet vain efforts to discredit the MEK, an organization that the regime perceives as its most formidable adversary.
In his most recent, desperate polemic, Rubin manipulates the stature of the United States military to suit his narrative. He daringly tarnishes the reputations of venerable former military officials who endorse the MEK. Rubin has the audacity to insinuate that these highly respected figures have been compromised by their association with the MEK, an entity he portrays as having the characteristics of a "cult".
His baseless assertions, cheaply copied from the Iranian intelligence service (MOIS), have been repeatedly debunked in 2006, 2011, 2021, 2022, and 2023. His persistent attempt to dehumanize the MEK by labeling them a "cult" rests on an untenable and academically irresponsible assertion that can be easily refuted by observable facts.
In July 2019, a bipartisan delegation from the United States, comprised of four-star generals, foreign policy experts, academics, and sitting members of Congress, paid a visit the MEK's home at Ashraf-3 in Albania. Their report stated, "What we witnessed was eye-opening and deeply promising: A cohesive political opposition movement ... guided by gifted female leadership."
Rubin, an adept purveyor of propaganda, unwittingly succumbs to a psychological phenomenon known as the Dunning-Kruger effect. This cognitive bias reveals itself as individuals with limited expertise in a specific area—such as Iranian politics, in Rubin's case—overstate their knowledge and understanding of that particular field. Rubin labors under the misapprehension that he alone possesses a nuanced understanding of the MEK and the intricacies of Iranian politics.
Strikingly, Rubin appears to dismiss the remarkable coincidence that his speculative columns find their way, almost universally, into the state-controlled media outlets within Iran. The daily Kayhan, the Supreme Leader’s mouthpiece, wasted no time featuring Rubin’s anti-MEK piece on the second page its July 19, 2021 issue. Rubin's MEK-bashing has also been embraced by the terrorist IRGC Qods Force's Young Journalists Club.
Further, there remains an air of ambiguity surrounding Rubin's activities during his sojourn in Iran in the late 1990s, when he was purportedly "studying" under the tenure of the then-president, the ostensibly "moderate" Mohammad Khatami.
Rubin has notably neglected to provide answers to legitimate inquiries that have arisen. For instance, what is the reason behind his work being so profoundly esteemed by Iran's state-controlled media? What drives his persistent disparaging of the MEK? Furthermore, it is critical to understand the funding source that supports his continual work, which seems to be highly favored in Tehran.
Evidently, Rubin is an analyst of mediocre caliber, skulking along the fringes of American foreign policy, shamelessly expending energy chasing mere illusions. Throughout the decades, he has ventured to Iran, ingratiating himself with the mullahs, eventually gaining their favor and becoming a favored voice in their media landscape, all the while advocating for the much-despised remnants of the reviled monarchy—a pursuit that the ruling clergy dismisses as a mere farcical exercise of promoting a useful idiot.
The Dunning-Kruger effect brings into sharp relief the inherent shortcomings in the positions advanced by individuals of Rubin's ilk, whose expertise in Iranian affairs is remarkably lacking, resulting in glaring lacunae in their argumentation. Rubin, donning the figurative mantle of a dilettante strategist, asserts that numerous American officials, including high-ranking military figures, have been swayed by pecuniary interests due to their backing of the MEK. Intriguingly, within Rubin's sphere of perception, he alone emerges as the paragon of ethical integrity, boasting unmatched proficiency in affairs pertaining to the MEK.
He may be aptly termed a Wiki Warrior, a YouTube Academic, or even a Twitter Pundit, yet, when all is said and done, Rubin is little more than a sophist. He leans on superficial accreditations such as his association with the American Enterprise Institute, whilst unabashedly recycling shallow regime propaganda to fabricate overarching narratives, thereby neglecting the depth of insight necessary for a true comprehension of the dynamics at play.
This very omission underlines a key point: in all his articles, Rubin has consistently failed to mention that the MEK adheres to Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s forward-looking 10-Point Plan for Iran's future. This glaring omission is likely because it contradicts the narrative he has been promoting. The Plan, which enjoys the endorsement of 238 bi-partisan members of the U.S. Congress, embodies “the universal right to vote, free elections, and a market economy, and advocates gender, religious, and ethnic equality, a foreign policy based on peaceful coexistence, and a nonnuclear Iran.” This Plan is not only gaining momentum domestically but also globally, with backing from numerous parliaments across Europe and approval from 115 former Presidents and Prime Ministers spanning five continents.
Regrettably, it is not the decorated four-star generals and esteemed American military figures who corrupt the image of the American military and the principle of freedom of speech, but rather the unintentionally inept propagandists in the mold of Rubin. The American people and their respected leaders have demonstrated their solidarity with the Iranian people and their organized resistance in their pursuit of liberation from the oppressive mullahs. Manipulators adept in creating illusions and deceit, such as Rubin, may attempt to skew perceptions. However, the principles upheld by genuine American leaders will persist. In the words of the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford, "The might of a nation does not rest solely in its military prowess but is anchored in its steadfast commitment to uphold the principles of liberty, democracy, and human rights."
Safavi (@amsafavi) is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).