Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - September 11, 2001 - Consultative Meeting with the Members of the Board of the Assembly of Experts

Meeting with Seyyed Mohammad Imam, Friday Prayer Leader of Shush Danial, and a Report on Regional Conditions and the Seminary

Meeting with Sheikh Mohammad Hasan Moghaddasi and a Report on Atlas Airline, Requesting Hashemi's Assistance for a Loan

Consultative Meeting with Fereydoun Vardinejad, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic in China

Consultative Meeting with the Members of the Board of the Assembly of Experts

Full Text of the Daily Memo:

Seyyed Mohammad Imam, the Friday prayer leader of Shush, and his son came to visit. They discussed the conditions of the city, the people, and the seminary, and they requested assistance for the development of the seminary. They explained examples of the incorrect culture and traditions among the Arab tribes.

Mr. Mohammad Hasan Moghaddasi, son of the late Ayatollah Abolhassan Shirazi, the former Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, and his son Mahdi, who is a major partner in Atlas Airline, also came. They are active in air freight, and recently four of their cargo planes were taken to a city in Kazakhstan by a Kazakh associate who bought the flight groups, resulting in a loss for the company. They sought a loan to resolve the company's issues and mentioned that the Kazakh government has expressed readiness to return the planes; the events surrounding this are unclear.

Mr. Fereydoun Vardinejad, the Iranian ambassador to China, came to consult on Iran and China’s policies regarding nuclear, military, technical, and political issues. I said that since the beginning of the revolution, we have chosen China as a strategic partner, and cooperation in all areas is expandable.

In the evening, the members of the board of the Assembly of Experts were my guests. We discussed the agenda for the meeting, the statement, and the content of Mr. Ali Moshkini’s speech. Mr. Ghorbanali Dorr Najafabadi expressed his dissatisfaction with Mr. Seyyed Mohammad Khatami’s remarks during his interview.

In Palestine, due to global pressure and the resistance of the people, Israel was compelled to withdraw from Beit Jala, which it had occupied. The Jewish residents have become anxious. Beit Jala was occupied as a means to protect the security of the people of Gilo.

In Durban, South Africa, conferences against racism, slavery, and youth, as well as NGOs’ conferences against Israel and Zionism, are actively taking place. The United States, Israel, Turkey, and some other countries are participating at a low level as observers.