Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - June 2, 2001 - Meeting with Ali Larijani and Concerns Over the High Predicted Votes for Seyyed Mohammad Khatami

Key Highlights:

• Meeting with Ali Larijani expressing concerns that, despite the efforts and speeches of his rivals, the votes for Seyyed Mohammad Khatami are still predicted to be high.
• Approval of sections from the draft general policies on security during the Expediency Council meeting.
• Political gathering of prominent figures in the Islamic Republic with Hashemi, discussing the lack of success in breaking the votes for Seyyed Mohammad Khatami.
• Meeting with Mahmoud Kazemi Dinnan, the representative from Amol.
• Convening of the heads of the three branches of government in the presence of Ayatollah Khamenei to address employment and corruption issues.

Complete Diary Entry:

Mr. Ali Larijani, the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, came to discuss the elections. He expressed that, despite the numerous statements from the candidates on television, the votes for Mr. Seyyed Mohammad Khatami remain high, and his rivals have failed to sway public opinion. He noted that there has been excessive airtime given to the candidates.

During the Expediency Council meeting, several more sections of the general policies regarding security in foreign relations and regional issues were approved. A special commission was established to review the draft regulations for monitoring the implementation of these policies. Prior to the meeting, there was discussion about the estimated casualties from the explosion at a nightclub in Tel Aviv.

In the afternoon, guests including Abbas Vaez Tabasi, Ali Akbar Nateq Nuri, Ahmad Jannati, Mohammad Ali Mohajeri Kermani, and Ghorbanali Dorri Najafabadi visited me. We discussed the presidential elections, and they agreed that the candidates have not been able to make an impact on the public, and the excessive media coverage has had a counterproductive effect. They expressed dissatisfaction with the disorganization among the right-wing factions and the lack of unified management. They also criticized Mr. Ahmad Tavakoli, a presidential candidate, for his harsh and destructive comments that undermined the system's achievements.

In the evening, Mr. Mahmoud Kazemi Dinnan, the representative from Amol, arrived and criticized the government's slow response to managing water resources and preventing the impacts of drought. He commended the significant actions taken during the reconstruction period in this regard and acknowledged my role.

That night, we were guests of the Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, along with the heads of the branches of government. The Leader proposed ways to implement the announced policies regarding employment and the fight against corruption. The conflict between the judiciary and the heads of the legislative and executive branches, which had stalled the previous meeting's coordination efforts, was brought up, and a path to resolve these differences was suggested. Mr. Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, the head of the judiciary, expressed his desire to avoid interference from the other two branches in fulfilling their duties, while they insisted that coordination requires defining strategies, methods, and priorities.

Last night in Tel Aviv, a Palestinian carried out a suicide attack at a nightclub, resulting in a massive explosion that killed 18 people and injured 120, including the attacker himself. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is under pressure to retaliate.