Congress shows renewed interest in Iranian opposition after nuclear deal
Iran hawks tout MEK as way to keep pressure on Tehran.
Iran hawks on Capitol Hill are taking a renewed interest in the Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK) following the nuclear deal with Tehran.
Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee on Oct. 7 urged the Obama administration to speed up the resettlement of more than 2,300 MEK refugees who remain in a camp near Baghdad. They also want the United States to put more pressure on Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's government to protect MEK members from alleged attacks by Tehran-backed assailants.
"These are people who peacefully disarmed and protected American soldiers when we went into Iraq," said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. "And we made a promise that we would take care of them."
He called the slow pace of resettlement to the United States "despicable." Only 800 have been resettled outside of Iraq, according to Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., including 29 in the United States.
