“The MKO has been present in our country for years. We have accepted them on the condition that they do not use Albanian soil for their political operations. They have repeatedly violated this agreement,” Rama said in an interview with the German magazine Spiegel.
He emphasized, “Albania has no intention of waging war against the Iranian government and is not a host to those who abuse its hospitality.”
Rama acknowledged the influence of Albania’s friendly relations with Washington in granting asylum to the MKO terrorists, stating, “We opened our doors because the group, then operating from Iraq, was systematically pursued. And if a friend like the US asks us for something, we feel honored.”
Albania agreed to host the MKO after the terrorist organization was expelled from Iraq, where they had been hosted and armed by the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to conduct terrorist attacks against neighboring Iran.
Rama further said that currently Albania is being “used as a trench in a war that is not ours,” insisting that if the MKO is adamant in fighting Iran, “they must leave Albania.”
Albania’s police forces entered the MKO’s camp in the Manez district of Durres city once again on Thursday, the Albanian Daily News reported. Police forces were stationed at the entrance of the Ashraf 3 camp and controlled all vehicles leaving the camp, the report said.
Albanian police had previously raided the camp on June 20, leading to fierce clashes with members of the terrorist outlet. At least two terrorists were killed and three dozen others injured, a security source told IRNA at the time.
Albania’s Special Court against Crime and Corruption had authorized the search due to concerns that the MKO had been involved in terror and cyber attacks.
Following the raid by Albanian police, Iran called on Albania to correct its mistake in hosting the MKO, which has killed at least 17,000 Iranians in numerous terror attacks inside the country.
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