EU maintains PMOI as terrorist entity

BRUSSELS, July 17 (UPI) -- The European Union voted Thursday to retain the People's Mujahedin of Iran on its list of terrorist organizations.

The European Council of Ministers voted to include the Iranian opposition group on its list of terrorist entities the same day 290 French lawmakers delivered a petition to the leader of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, Maryam Rajavi, supporting regime change in Iran.

The French president of the EU, however, issued a request to European lawmakers to list the group ahead of planned meetings with Iran to discuss its controversial nuclear energy program, the EU Observer said.

"The Council has decided to maintain those persons, groups and entities on the list," the EU said in a statement announcing the decision.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran is an umbrella organization advocating the overthrow of the current Iranian regime. The PMOI, its leading member, established itself in the eastern Iraqi city of Ashraf. It has lobbied for its removal from terrorist lists, saying it has abandoned violence.

The NCRI responded in a statement saying the move was a "futile attempt" at pacifying "the religious fascists ruling Iran, and defying the ruling of EU courts is devoid of any legal standing and a clear violation of the rule of law."