User:Vice regent/Temp

Many officials have described the MEK as a "cult", including the United States government, Foreign Ministry of France. a 2008 report by the United Kingdom's Home Office, and Samir Sumaidaie (Iraqi ambassador to the U.S.). Academics who have described the MEK as a cult include Ervand Abrahamian, Stephanie Cronin, Wilfried Buchta,, Eli Clifton and others. Some journalists who visited MEK camps in Iraq, including Reese Erlich, Robert Scheer, and Elizabeth Rubin described it as a cult. Claims that MEK is a cult have also been denied by Raymond Tanter, and the European Parliament, who has accused Iran of falsifying information.

According to Country Reports on Terrorism, in 1990 the second phase of the 'ideological revolution' was announced during which all married members were ordered to divorce and remain celibate, undertaking a vow of "eternal divorce", with the exception of Massoud and Maryam Rajavi. The wedding rings of women were replaced with pendants engraved with Massoud's face. During the second phase of the ideological revolution, all members were forced to surrender their individuality to the organization. A report commissioned by the US government, based on interviews within Camp Ashraf, concluded that the MEK had "many of the typical characteristics of a cult, such as authoritarian control, confiscation of assets, sexual control (including mandatory divorce and celibacy), emotional isolation, forced labour, sleep deprivation, physical abuse and limited exit options". Rubin argued the cult revolves around the husband-and-wife duo, Maryam and Massoud Rajavi.

According to a RAND Corporation policy report, while in Paris, Masoud Rajavi began to implement an "ideological revolution", which required members an increased study and devotion that later expanded into "near religious devotion to the Rajavis". After its settlement in Iraq, however, it experienced a shortfall of volunteers. This led to the recruitment of members including Iranian dissidents, as well as Iranian economic migrants in countries such as Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, through "false promises of employment, land, aid in applying for asylum in Western countries, and even marriage, to attract them to Iraq." MEK also gave free visit trips to its camps to the relatives of the members. According to the RAND report, the recruited members were mostly brought by MEK into Iraq illegally and then were asked to submit their identity documents for "safekeeping", an act which would "effectively trap" them. With the assistance of Saddam's government, MEK also recruited some of its members from the Iranian prisoners of the Iran-Iraq war.