Memories of Akbar Hashemi - June 20, 2001 - Important Account by Hashemi of Ayatollah Khamenei’s Statements Regarding Long Nights Spent Resolving Disputes Between the Ministry of Interior and the Guardian Council Over the Presidential Election Vote Count

An important account by Hashemi regarding Ayatollah Khamenei’s statements about spending long nights awake to resolve disputes between the Ministry of Interior and the Guardian Council over the presidential election vote count, mentioned during a meeting with government officials on the occasion of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.

Participation in the Unity Week conference and Hashemi’s remarks in this regard to Sheikh Mohammad Vaez Zadeh Khorasani.

The marriage contract ceremony of Akbar Hashemi's nieces.

Hashemi’s account of the wave of joy and public celebration among the youth following Seyyed Mohammad Khatami's victory and the reaction of the Ansar Hezbollah to them.

The crash of a helicopter in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, resulting in the deaths of all on board.

Full Text of the Daily Record:

We went to the office of the Supreme Leader for the birth ceremony of [the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)]. Mr. [Seyyed Mohammad] Khatami, the President, congratulated us, and the leader also had a brief conversation. After the meeting, the leader expressed fatigue, stating that he had spent a long time the previous night resolving the disputes between the Ministry of Interior and the Guardian Council regarding the vote count and had suffered from sleeplessness.

I returned home and studied about the status of the Ahl al-Bayt until the afternoon. In the afternoon, I used the swimming pool at home. I then went to the Conference Hall for the opening of Unity Week [the 14th International Islamic Unity Conference]. Mr. [Mohammad] Vaez Zadeh, President of the World Assembly of Ahl al-Bayt, welcomed me, and I gave a detailed speech about the importance of Muslim unity, the dangers of division, and the role of the Ahl al-Bayt in guiding society and the Prophet’s (PBUH) management, which, unfortunately, has become a starting point for conflicts instead of the focal point of unity. I asked Mr. Vaez Zadeh to establish a field of study at the university of the World Assembly of Ahl al-Bayt to examine the causes of division in the Islamic world and find ways to foster unity and cooperation. In a private conversation with Mr. Vaez Zadeh, I discussed the potential counterproductive effects of the conference topic—the status of the Ahl al-Bayt—and cautioned him to ensure that the discussion does not provoke emotions and cause divisions.

It was the marriage contract ceremony for my nieces—Samira and Omid Hashemi-Sharifabad. My brother Mahmoud and I recited the marriage vows. A large number of relatives attended. In the evening, many relatives from the Marashi family came; they spoke about the success of the President’s museum in Rafsanjan and the warm reception from the public and the various services provided to the people.

Last night, following the announcement of Mr. [Seyyed Mohammad] Khatami’s victory in the presidential election, groups of young men and women celebrated and danced in some streets and parks. Some members of the Ansar Hezbollah confronted them, and similar incidents occurred in some other cities. During the elections, a helicopter carrying nine people crashed in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and unfortunately, all aboard perished.