Special to WorldTribune.com

LONDON — Iran’s leading opposition group has agreed to re-settle
thousands of members and their families in Iraq.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran said it would continue to
relocate members from Iraq’s Camp Ashraf as part of a deal to be removed
from the U.S. State Department list of organizations deemed terrorist.

The council, dominated by the Mujahadeen Khalq, said it would evacuate the last
1,200 Iraqi opposition members and their families from Ashraf to Camp
Liberty, a former U.S. military base near Baghdad.

“As a gesture of goodwill, the residents of Ashraf will commence the
sixth convoy of 400 residents from Camp Ashraf to Camp Liberty on Aug. 23,”
council president Maryam Rajavi said.

In a statement on Aug. 18, Ms. Rajavi urged the United States to fulfill
its commitments, including that by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to
remove Mujahadeen from the terrorist list. She cited U.S. and United Nations
guarantees to secure Camp Liberty from attacks by Iraqi security forces and
agents of the Teheran regime.

“It is anticipated that the United States will publicly reiterate its
commitments to the approach to delisting outlined by Secretary Clinton,
safety and security of the residents and a real effort to resolve the
humanitarian issues,” Ms. Rajavi said.

Under a U.S. court ruling, Ms. Clinton must decide on Mujahadeen’s
status by Oct. 1. The council also cited U.S. pledges to provide
water and electricity to Camp Liberty as well as find new homes for the
refugees outside Iraq.

“This universally desired outcome cannot happen expeditiously without
de-listing,” Ms. Rajavi said.

In May, the relocation from Ashraf to Liberty was suspended amid
complaints by Mujahadeen that the new homes lacked basic services and were
vulnerable to attack. The pro-Iranian government of Iraqi Prime Minister
Nouri Al Maliki has threatened to expel the remaining 1,200 out of 4,500
Mujahadeen members and family from Ashraf.

“If Nouri Al Maliki has his way, the guards will be given the green
light to go on another killing spree,” British parliamentarian Struan
Stevenson said. “He ordered the last two massacres at the direct behest of
his key sponsors in neighboring Iran.”

  Camp Ashraf, Camp Liberty, Hillary Clinton, Maryam Rajavi, Mujahadeen Khalq agrees to evacuate, National Council of Resistance of Iran, Nouri Al Maliki, presses U.S. for removal from terror list