Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - September 18, 2001 - Hashemi's Account of Someone Speaking Against Ayatollah Khamenei at the Prayer Conference in Isfahan

Consultative Meeting with Abdollah Jasebi, President of Islamic Azad University, Critique of the Draft Statute of the Ministry of Science, Conflict with the Resolutions of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, Report on the Prayer Conference in Isfahan, and the Delays of Seyed Mohammad Khatami

Consultative Meeting with Mostafa Boroujerdi, the then Ambassador of the Islamic Republic in the Vatican

Criticism by Hossein Mahalooji, former Minister of Mines and Metals, Regarding Ayatollah Khamenei's Remarks about Allegations of Wastefulness in the Construction of This Ministry

Meeting with Sheikh Abdolmajid Maadi Khah and a Report on the Cultural Situation of the Country

Hashemi's Account of Someone Speaking Against Ayatollah Khamenei at the Prayer Conference in Isfahan

Complete Daily Record:

Dr. [Abdollah] Jasebi, [the president of Islamic Azad University], came. He provided explanations regarding the issues in the draft statute of the Ministry of Science, which has recently been sent to the parliament; it restricts many of the powers granted to Islamic Azad University by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution.

He said the Prayer Conference in Isfahan, which was supposed to start at 8:30 AM, began at 10:30 AM, causing dissatisfaction among the attendees, especially since one of the benefits of prayer is discipline and punctuality; it seems this was due to the delay of Mr. [Seyed Mohammad] Khatami, [the President]. He mentioned that after the recent remarks of the leader regarding the recreational and tourist town in Chadegan, at the Zayandeh Rud dam, the Hezbollah forces are thinking about disrupting the situation there, which has caused concern for the provincial officials and planners.

Mr. Mostafa Boroujerdi, Iran's ambassador to the Vatican, came. He reported on the state of Christian management, stating that Christianity, which until recently was referred to as the religion of white people, is now being called the religion of colored people due to the increase in non-European followers. They have 180 cardinals and 32,700 religious denominations, mostly from Protestants. The issue of propagating Islam to attract Christians has heightened sensitivities between the two.

Mr. [Hossein] Mahalooji, [the former Minister of Mines and Metals], came. He expressed dissatisfaction with the leader's recent comments during a cabinet meeting regarding the minister's extravagance in using various Iranian stones for construction, asserting that it is neither wasteful nor reprehensible. He said the leader has not spoken to him about this in the past. Previously, [his uncle] Mr. [Seyed Mahdi] Yathrabi, the Friday Prayer Leader of Kashan, had told me the same thing. He reported on negotiations with Sheikh Sharjah concerning the [three islands of Iran], which are still ongoing.

In the evening, Mr. [Abdolmajid] Maadi Khah, [the head of the Foundation for the History of the Revolution], came. He spoke about the lack of seriousness of the Islamic Azad University in compiling the history of the revolution and the widespread deviations in the writings and statements in universities, particularly the book "Critique of the Official Reading of Islam," written by Mr. Mohammad [Mojtahed] Shabestari. He stated that during Mr. [Ahmad] Masjed Jamei's tenure as Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the situation has worsened, and the [General Inspection Organization of the Country] has requested a report on the financial transactions of the Foundation for History; I said there is no obstacle.

Today, two explosions were carried out in Israel by Palestinians, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries, and Israel also retaliated with helicopter attacks. A report has been published that [Ahmad Shah] Masoud, [the Defense Minister of the Mujahideen Government] in Afghanistan, has been assassinated and injured and has been transferred to Tajikistan; this has not yet been fully confirmed.

Today at the Prayer Conference in Isfahan, someone went up to the podium and shouted against the leader; he has been arrested.