Mehdi Abrishamchi

Mehdi Abrishamchi (Persian: مهدی ابریشم‌چی born in 1947 in Tehran) is a high-ranking member of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK).[1][2][3]

Mehdi Abrishamchi
Abrishamchi in 1980
Born1947 (age 75–76)[1]
Tehran, Imperial State of Iran
(present day Iran)[1]
Alma materUniversity of Tehran
OrganizationPeople's Mujahedin of Iran
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1980; div. 1985)​
    Azar Khiabani
    ​
    (m. 1985)​

    Early life

    Abrishamchi came from a well-known anti-Shah bazaari family in Tehran, and participated in June 5, 1963, demonstrations in Iran. He became a member of Hojjatieh, and left it to join the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) in 1969. In 1972 he was imprisoned for being a MEK member, and spent time in jail until 1979.[4][5]

    Career

    Shortly after Iranian Revolution, he became one of the senior members of the MEK.[1] He is now an official in the National Council of Resistance of Iran.[6]

    Electoral history
    YearElectionVotes %RankNotes
    1980Parliament390,68318.346th Lost[7]

    Personal life

    Abrishamchi was married to Maryam Rajavi from 1980 to 1985, when he divorced her so that she could marry Massoud Rajavi, then leader of the MEK, and became co-leader alongside him. Shortly after, Abrishamchi married Mousa Khiabani's younger sister Azar.[1]

    Legacy

    Abrishamchi credited Massoud Rajavi for saving the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran after the "great schism".[8]

    References
    1. Abrahamian, Ervand (1989), Radical Islam: the Iranian Mojahedin, Society and culture in the modern Middle East, vol. 3, I.B.Tauris, pp. 172–174, 251–253, ISBN 9781850430773
    2. "Iranian media claim MEK member behind Paris terror plot". Al-monitor. 5 July 2018. Archived from the original on 2022-08-24. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
    3. "Alleged Iranian bomb plot in France is a 'wake-up call' for Europe, U.S. says". NBC News. 4 October 2018. Archived from the original on 2021-09-21. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
    4. Abrahamian 1989, pp. 172.
    5. Mehdi Khalaji (January 2008), Apocalyptic Politics: On the Rationality of Iranian Policy (PDF), Iran Policy Focus, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, p. 12, archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-04-25, retrieved 2018-04-12
    6. Vasudevan Sridharan (1 July 2014), "Iran About to Complete Secret Nuclear Facility, Claims Dissident Group", International Business Times, archived from the original on 13 April 2018, retrieved 30 March 2018
    7. Ervand Abrahamian (1989), Radical Islam: the Iranian Mojahedin, Society and culture in the modern Middle East, vol. 3, I.B.Tauris, p. 195, Table 6; pp. 203–205, Table 8, ISBN 9781850430773
    8. Abrahamian 1989, pp. 173.


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