U.S. Bans Iranian Opposition Group

The move, announced in a notice signed by Secretary of State Colin Powell that was published in the Federal Register, outlaws the National Council of Resistance, declaring it to be a “terrorist organization”.

The designation also applies to the group’s alias "the National Council of Resistance of Iran" and includes "its U.S. representative office and all other offices worldwide," Powell said in the notice, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The People’s Mujahideen – also known as the Mujahideen e Khalq (MEK) – has been on Washington’s terrorism blacklist for some time, but its political wing has fought the designation in U.S. courts.

Amid the uncertainty over its status, the National Council of Resistance has maintained offices in Washington and other U.S. cities and has frequently held news conferences to denounce the Iranian government.

Friday’s announcement is aimed at closing that legal loophole, paving the way for U.S. authorities to shut down the group’s offices, according to State Department officials.

The officials said agents from the U.S. Treasury Department had placed notices announcing the move on the doors of the group’s office at the National Press Building in Washington, just blocks from the White House.