Iran Opposition Group Hails Removal from U.S. Terror List

The opposition People's Mujahedeen of Iran welcomed Friday's U.S. decision to strike the group from its terror list and vowed to step up its international campaign against the Tehran regime.

Maryam Rajavi, leader of the group also known as the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, "welcomed and appreciated" U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's decision to delist the movement, a statement said.

Ending a complex legal battle fought through U.S. and European courts, the move came just days ahead of an October 1 deadline set by a U.S. appeals court by which Clinton had to decide on the fate of the group.

"This has been the correct decision, albeit long overdue, in order to remove a major obstacle in the path of the Iranian people's efforts for democracy," Rajavi was quoted as saying in the statement.

"In the days and months ahead, we hope to better introduce ourselves and our goals to international community and the American people."

The MEK, whose leadership is based in Paris, has invested much money and years of intense lobbying to be taken off the list.

The left-wing group was founded in the 1960s to oppose the shah of Iran, and after the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted him it took up arms against Iran's clerical rulers.

The MEK says it has now laid down its arms and is working to overthrow the Tehran regime through peaceful means.

"We propose a non-nuclear Iran, peace, security, democracy, human rights, stability, construction, friendship and economic development in this region of the world as well as respect for international laws and conventions," Rajavi said.