Daily Notes of 1999

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 24, 1999

I was at home. I spent my time exercising, walking in the yard, and studying.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 23, 1999

I stayed at home. I spent my time exercising, walking in the yard, and studying.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 22, 1999

We went to the Koushk Office at eleven in the morning. I read the newspapers and bulletins. Among domestic issues, the extensive coverage of the impeachment of Mr. [Ataollah] Mohajerani, [Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance], and the severe attacks by members of Parliament on the President’s performance in their pre-agenda speeches were significant.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 21, 1999

The Expediency Council held a meeting. We approved several more provisions of the general policies of the Third Development Plan.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 20, 1999

Mr. [Sugiyano], the Indonesian Ambassador, came. He is a retired naval admiral. He spoke about the situation in his country, including the situation in East Timor, where the Indonesian government, after decades of resistance, had finally yielded.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 19, 1999

Mr. [Hossein] Mahdavi came. He had gone to Mecca with his two sons. He expressed surprise at what had been done to Faezeh and the Zan newspaper, and followed up on the issue of the Independence Party.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 18, 1999

Yesterday, the government of [Atal Bihari] Vajpayee in India fell after losing a vote by a single vote. Mr. [Gholamreza] Aghazadeh, [head of the Atomic Energy Organization], reported that years of sustained efforts to achieve one of the objectives of the nuclear program had finally borne fruit, and that its first product had been obtained.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 17, 1999

We had a meeting of the Expediency Council. Eight more provisions of the general policies of the Third Development Plan were approved.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 16, 1999

I stayed at home. Most of the day was spent studying. Yasser came and said that he had overcome his doubts about publishing the letters that the five of us had written to the Imam in my 1981 memoirs and had decided to publish them.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 15, 1999

I studied at home until eleven in the morning, then went to the Koushk Office. Effat came there at noon as well. She was upset about the issue concerning Faezeh and cried.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 14, 1999

I went to my office and attended to my work. I then went to Shahid Motahari Mosque for a program bringing together preachers and mourning associations in preparation for Muharram. Mr. [Alireza] Mohammadkhani and Mr. [Mahmoud] Mohammadi Araqi, [head of the Islamic Propaganda Organization], gave reports.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 13, 1999

We went from home to the Army Joint Staff. After a formal military reception, we held discussions with senior commanders, including Mr. [Hassan] Firouzabadi, Mr. [Ali] Shahbazi, Mr. [Ali] Shamkhani, Mr. [Mostafa] Torabi, Mr. [Abbas] Mohtaj, and others. 

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 12, 1999

We went from home to the International Exhibition for the International Congress of Dentists. We first visited dozens of exhibition booths. Most dental consumables and many dental instruments are manufactured domestically, and in many cases exports have also begun.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 11, 1999

The Board of Trustees of the Islamic Azad University held a meeting. We made decisions regarding the establishment of university branches in Zabol, Qorveh, and Amol, as well as increases in the salaries of staff and faculty members.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 10, 1999

Early in the morning, Faezeh came. She gave me an account of her plans for confronting the injustices of the Judiciary. I went to my office.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 9, 1999

I stayed at home. I spent the entire day studying. I read a report on the situation of the Sabians in Khuzestan and Iraq, along with a number of texts on ethics.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 8, 1999

I studied at home until eleven. I went to the Koushk Office and stayed there until four in the afternoon, with the bulletins and newspapers taking up my time.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 7, 1999

Mr. Hossein Marashi came and reported that Mr. [Morteza] Moqtadaei, [Prosecutor General], had said that he had still not signed the rejection of Mr. Karbaschi’s appeal and that the Public Relations Office of the Tehran Justice Department had lied.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 6, 1999

The United States has ordered the deployment of Apache helicopters and 2,000 paratroopers to the Balkans, a step toward turning the war into a ground operation.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 5, 1999

Before noon, I went to Ayatollah Khamenei’s office for the Eid al-Ghadir ceremony. As usual, we sat in the office for a few minutes until the officials had gathered, and then we went to Imam Khomeini Hussainiya. Mr. [Seyyed Mohammad] Khatami, [President], offered his congratulations, and the Leader also gave a brief speech.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 4, 1999

As Mr. Javier Solana, NATO Secretary General, had said, the third phase of the bombing of Serbia began last night, and a number of government centers and economic facilities have been bombed. A Russian reconnaissance ship has passed through the Bosphorus.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 3, 1999

Messrs. Hassan Habibi, Seyyed Reza Zavarei, Mohammad Reza Abbasi-Fard, Ahmad Alizadeh, Mohammad Reza Alizadeh, and Ali-Arad, the jurists of the Guardian Council, came and said that people feel your absence from the management of the country and asked me to take a more active role in important national affairs.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 2, 1999

Before noon, I studied at home for the Friday Prayer sermon. At noon, Effat and Mohsen went to a farm on the Saveh Road; Yasser and Mohsen also have a share in its pistachio orchard. Faezeh, Yasser, and their children were our guests.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 1, 1999

The crisis in the Balkans is becoming more severe. Serbia’s pressure on the people of Kosovo continues. The refugees have become a major problem. Three American soldiers have gone missing in Macedonia, and at the last moment, a mobile transmitter reported again that they were being pursued

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 31, 1999

I came to my office. Today, too, most of my time at noon and in the afternoon was spent meeting with government officials and prominent figures. I discussed the issues concerning Kosovo and Russia with Dr. [Ali Akbar] Velayati, [Adviser to the Leader for International Affairs].

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 30, 1999

Today as well, I spent most of my time at noon and in the afternoon meeting with government officials and prominent figures. I discussed the issues concerning Kosovo and Russia with Dr. [Ali Akbar] Velayati, [Adviser to the Leader for International Affairs].

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 29, 1999

I went to my office. Before and after noon, a large number of government officials, ministers, members of Parliament, and employees of the [Expediency Discernment] Council came to pay their New Year visit.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 28, 1999

I was at home. I spent most of my time reading the book Fundamentals of Botany, written by Dr. [Ahmad] Ghorbani. I came across some interesting material concerning the concept of pairing, which I intend to present in the next Friday Prayer as a scientific miracle of the Quran.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 27, 1999

We went to my office. Several groups of government officials came to pay their New Year visit. I spoke with Mr. [Morteza] Mohammad-Khan, [Deputy for Economic Affairs at the Center for Strategic Research of the Expediency Discernment Council], about the Ahvaz sugarcane project; with Mr. [Hossein] Kamali, [Minister of Labor and Social Affairs], about the employment problem; and with Mr. [Jalil] Basharti, [Head of the Office for Affairs of Deprived Regions in the Presidency], about projects in deprived regions.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 26, 1999

The military attacks on Serbia continue within the designated target areas, using cruise missiles and aerial bombardment, generally targeting military facilities and sensitive military industries.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 25, 1999

Last night, at 8:00 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time, the attack on Serbia began. Dozens of sensitive sites were struck with bombs and missiles, and two American B-52 aircraft, which are undetectable by radar, also took part in the attack.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 24, 1999

The entire morning was spent studying and walking. The children were enjoying themselves at sea, riding the waves and going out on boats. 

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 23, 1999

In Ayatollah Khamenei’s remarks during his speech [on the first day of Farvardin in the courtyard of the Imam Reza Shrine in] Mashhad, there are numerous indirect references to important social issues that could be interpreted as opposition to the government’s policies.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 22, 1999

After the morning prayer, I walked along the shore until sunrise. The view of the sunrise was very beautiful and poetic. I spoke with the manager of the sports club next to the pavilion.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 21, 1999

After prayers and the ceremony marking the turning of the year, I spent some time listening to the news and viewing reports on the computer screen. 

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – July 3, 1999

The tone of Zionist circles toward Iran regarding the 13 detained Jews has turned threatening, and a well-known writer from America, by publishing a hypothetical letter from Mr. [Bill] Clinton, [President of the United States], to Mr. [Seyed Mohammad] Khatami, [President], stated that the fate of Saddam [Hussein, President of Iraq] and [Slobodan] Milošević, [former President of Yugoslavia], could happen to Mr. Khatami as well.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – July 2, 1999

I studied at home during the morning and afternoon. I spent time organizing the library. At noon, I led the Friday prayers at Tehran University. I delivered one sermon on ethics and another on the occasions of the week, which were quite numerous.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – July 1, 1999

Before noon, we went to the Leadership office and attended the Eid ceremony [celebrating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)]. Mr. [Seyed Mohammad] Khatami, [President], offered his congratulations. Ayatollah Khamenei spoke; his voice was raspy and he appeared tired. The ceremony was lackluster.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 30, 1999

From home, we went to the conference of the cultural section of the Ministry of Labor. Mr. [Hossein] Kamali, [Minister of Labor and Social Affairs], provided a report and gave a welcoming speech. I also spoke about the importance of the working class across all societies throughout history, the Revolution's dedication to workers, the religiosity and loyalty of workers, and the services that the Revolution has rendered in elevating their stature and securing their rights.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 29, 1999

Messrs. [Amir] Tehrani and [Ali] Baqeri, Deputy Ministers of Intelligence, arrived. They said that the statements made by Mr. [Mohammad] Niyazi, [head of the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces], regarding the perpetrators of the [serial] murders and Saeed Emami's suicide, have been met with disbelief among many intelligence personnel, and that some agree with the statements of Mr. [Ruhollah] Hosseinian.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 28, 1999

Mr. [Mohammad] Gharazi, [member of the Tehran City Council], arrived. He presented examples of new revenue sources for the Tehran Municipality. He consulted [me] regarding running in the parliamentary elections and spoke about the necessity of forming an independent party.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 27, 1999

Mr. [Issa] Kalantari, the Minister of Agriculture, arrived. He provided a report on the drought, the severe drop in water levels at the Sefidrud Dam, the serious threat to Gilan's rice fields, and the scorching of many rain-fed wheat crops. He stated that the damage caused by the drought amounts to around 10,000 billion rials, and noted that given the country's other economic difficulties and the weak performance of executive officials, there is cause for concern.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 26, 1999

Mr. [Pino] Arlacchi, UN Under-Secretary-General and head of the drug control division, arrived. He expressed appreciation for Iran's efforts in combating drug trafficking and for my specific role, and promised further assistance from the United Nations.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 25, 1999

The United States has offered a five-million-dollar reward for information leading to the arrest of [Slobodan] Milošević, [the former President of Yugoslavia], and his associates as war criminals.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 24, 1999

At eleven o'clock, I went to the Kushk office. The time until five o'clock in the afternoon was spent doing work and reading. In the evening at home, Dr. [Ahad] Milani-Nia had brought an engineer to repair the blood pressure monitor.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 23, 1999

Dr. [Alireza] Marandi, the former Minister of Health [and Medical Education], arrived. He is pleased about receiving the United Nations Population Award for population control in Iran during his tenure, and mentioned that the other nominee was [Bill Gates], the head of Microsoft, who also donates one billion dollars a year to the United Nations.

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 22, 1999

Mr. [Seyed Ali Asghar] Mousavi, the proprietor of an export-oriented date packaging facility, came from Bushehr.He reported on his success in marketing and complained about the Agricultural Bank (Bank Keshavarzi) for refusing to grant a loan, which has brought his business to the verge of closure.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's Diaries - 30 Farvardin 1379 (April 20, 2000) - The Aftermath of the Berlin Conference and Akbar Ganji's Statements about Ayatollah Khomeini's Fate

The last page of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's memoirs for the year 1999,

"Memories of Akbar Hashemi - 28 Esfand 1378 - Today's meeting with Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, whom Akbar Hashemi intentionally did not receive at home yesterday, took place today at the workplace, and the heart

Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - March 17, 2000 - Rejection of Immediate Meeting Request by Mohammad Khatami

Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - March 16, 2000 - Akbar Hashemi's account of the extensive exploitation by reformists of the assassination of Saeed Hajarian

Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - March 15, 2000 - Inauguration of Two International TV Networks (Jame Jam 1 and 2)

Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - March 14, 2000 - Key Meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei and Criticism of Reformists’ Response to Saeed Hajjarian's Assassination Attempt

Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - March 13, 2000 - Meeting with Allied Group Leaders and Analyses on the Assassination Attempt of Saeed Hajjarian

Memories Akbar Hashemi - 22 March 1378 - receiving news of the assassination of Saeed Hajarian in front of the Tehran City Council

Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - March 11, 2000 - Strong Protests from Leftist Newspapers Over the Annulment of the Bandar Abbas, Minab, and Gachsaran Elections

Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - March 10, 2000 - Protests in Gachsaran over the Annulment of Elections

Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - March 9, 2000 - Letter to the Guardian Council for Continued Review of Ballot Boxes

Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - March 8, 2000 - Meeting with Hassan Khomeini and Consultation on Statements by Intelligence and Judicial Officials Regarding the Death of Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini