Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - December 18, 2002

Full text of the diary:

In Shemiranat, heavy snow has fallen and is still falling. I worked in the office until the evening. I commented on the plan for a house that is to be built for us next to the children's house.

In the evening, Mr. [Ebrahim] Azizi, a member of the Guardian Council's legal team, came home and explained the parliament's resolution regarding his choice; he has come to the [expediency council] because of the Guardian Council's opposition. He wanted me to develop my relationship with university professors. He believes that they have placed their hope in me to save the revolution.

The Tehran judiciary has announced that one of the defendants in the case of the Ayndeh Institute, who was involved in relations with foreigners, has fled Iran and has requested the international police [Interpol] to arrest and extradite him.

A massive explosion has rocked the headquarters of the international forces in Kabul, causing unexplained casualties. In the United States, thousands of Iranians have demonstrated against the detention and release of Iranians by the Immigration Service. The US treatment of them has caused shame and frustration to those who have come to America from Iran for a better life, and a lawyer has said that the number of detainees is reaching 2,000, and the shackles and humiliation are causing them even more suffering.

The Syrian government, a [non-permanent member of the UN Security Council], has announced that it will not attend future meetings of the Security Council due to discrimination in reporting on Iraq to members.

A US judge has ordered Iran to pay $300 million to a former American hostage in Lebanon because of Iran’s support for Hezbollah. An international court has sentenced a Serbian leader to 25 years in prison and has ruled that two islands disputed between Indonesia and Malaysia belong to Malaysia.

In Venezuela, oil production has dropped from 2.5 million barrels a day to 200,000 barrels a day due to a strike by workers, and this, in addition to the important issues in Iraq, has caused oil prices to rise daily. The Supreme Court has ruled that the Venezuelan police must be under the command of the mayor of Caracas, who opposes [President] [Hugo] Chavez.

In the South Korean elections, [Roh Moo-hyun], a man with a history of anti-Americanism, has been elected president.