Memories of Akbar Hashemi - January 29, 2002 - Reactions from Khatami, Kamal Kharrazi, and Sheikh Mehdi Karroubi to George Bush's Remarks

Participation in the International Conference of IRIB

Meeting with Sheikh Abbasali Alizadeh and Reporting on Ongoing Cases, Including the Trial of Shahram Jazayeri Arab and the Chain Murders, as well as Tensions Between the Parliament, Judiciary, and Ministry of Intelligence

Continued Reactions from Khatami, Kamal Kharrazi, and Sheikh Mehdi Karroubi to George Bush's Speech

Full Text of the Daily Notes:

U.S. President George Bush delivered a harsh speech a few hours ago in Congress, accompanied by Hamid Karzai. He stated that the U.S. is at war and facing an economic recession, while Western civilization is grappling with various challenges. He explicitly threatened Iran, North Korea, and Iraq, labeling them as sponsors of terrorism and potential possessors of weapons of mass destruction.

The U.S. is suggesting that Afghanistan's official currency be the U.S. dollar, citing issues with multiple Afghan currencies in circulation. India and Pakistan continue to amass military forces at their borders, resulting in skirmishes, with India threatening war if Pakistan does not withdraw from Kashmir. These threats are being used as a means of coercion.

I attended the International Conference of IRIB. During the conference on the Islamic media's support for the Palestinian Intifada, I delivered a detailed speech. I described Israel as a multi-purpose colonial base and its role as an agent of Western imperialism, asserting that the true adversary of the Palestinian people is Western colonization. I called for the use of all global resources to combat Zionism and provided a firm response to Bush's statements, which was warmly received by the audience.

I returned to my office and worked until the evening. In the afternoon, Mr. Abbasali Alizadeh, the head of the Tehran Judiciary, visited. He criticized the statements made by Mr. Mehdi Karroubi, the Speaker of the Parliament, during today's session. Mr. Karroubi had attacked the judiciary, accusing it of politicizing issues against the parliament. He framed the Jazayeri case as an attack on the parliament and criticized the lack of action on the case of Mr. Nasser, the son of Mr. Abbas Vaez Tabasi, the custodian of the Astan Quds Razavi, referencing the alleged receipt of money by the head of the judiciary as religious dues. He mentioned the possibility of Jazayeri's disappearance, akin to the case of Saeed Imami. Other representatives also criticized the IRIB and the judiciary. Mr. Karroubi has characterized the actions of the teachers as efforts to weaken the parliament.

Mr. Alizadeh spoke about verbal altercations with Mr. Ali Younesi, the Minister of Intelligence, which have led to a lack of cooperation between the intelligence services and the judiciary. He also quoted Mr. Mohammad Mohaqiq, a judge, stating that the Ministry of Intelligence is attempting to frame Messrs. Qorban Ali Dorri Najafabadi and Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi in the context of the chain murders.

Today, Khatami, Kharrazi, and Karroubi also spoke out against the U.S. and Bush's remarks regarding Iran being labeled as part of the "Axis of Evil."