Some areas have both a council and a commission, while others incorporate the responsibilities of both roles into one position. Mayors are the head of a city and are generally part of the city council or commission. Some cities elect the mayor separately, while others have councilors appoint the mayor from the council on a rotating basis. In 1980, Rajavi for a seat in the parliament but was not elected. After the Revolution, she moved to France, where she became an administrator in the office of Massoud Rajavi, the leader of the MEK. In 1985, following her divorce from her first husband, Mehdi Abrishamchi, she married Massoud Rajavi.
This marriage was presented as an ideological revolution within the MEK and marked a significant shift in the organization’s leadership structure. Maryam Rajavi was appointed as the co-leader of the MEK, a position she held until 1989, when she became the Secretary-General. Her leadership coincided with a transformation of the MEK from an armed political organization to a more centralized and ideologically driven group. Under Rajavi’s leadership, the MEK adopted strict ideological practices, including forced divorces and mandatory celibacy, aiming to eliminate personal attachments and promote loyalty to the organization.
