The Iranian opposition group (and U.S. government-designated terrorist organization) MEK, also known as the People's Mujahideen and the Mujahideen Khalq, has had a rough go of it lately. It's hated by the Iranian government and loathed by many Iranians; had its protected camp in Iraq seized by Iraqi authorities, and been rebuffed in its attempts to get off the US list of terrorist groups.

   But when it comes to public relations, you have to hand it to the MEK.

   I left Washington on an extended (and somewhat circuitous) roadtrip 10 days ago, leaving behind (or so I thought) the MEK, whose followers have been staging a hunger strike and protestoutside the White House to draw attention to the fate of about 3,400 Iranians at a former MEK base, Camp Ashraf, in Iraq. In July, Iraqi troops moved into the camp (which had been protected by US forces), killing eight people and injuring others, according to Amnesty International.

  In New York at the annual United Nations General Assembly debate, in between covering nuclear nonproliferation, Venezuela, climate change, etc, etc., I wandered over for a quick view of large crowds who had gathered to protest against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. There was the MEK again, mixed in with larger numbers of mostly Iranian-American participants who oppose the theocratic regime in Tehran.

  A few days later, I found myself in Geneva, Switzerland, to cover today's talks between Iran and the diplomatic group known as P5+1 (the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom). I was walking back to my hotel from the Intercontinental Hotel, where the international press corps is encamped, when I made a short sidetrip to check out the UN's Geneva headquarters, the Palais des Nations.

As I drew close to the plaza out front, I noticed Iranian flags. And then placards with photographs of men's faces. And then it hit me. Another MEK protest. They do get around.