Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's Memoirs - October 12, 1999 A one-on-one meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei regarding the trial of Abdullah Nouri, the editor-in-chief of Khordad newspaper.

Mr. Mohammad Asghari, the former Minister of Justice who has been appointed as the ambassador to Bulgaria, came to bid farewell and seek advice. He expressed concern over the domestic situation, noting that, contrary to the government's slogans about adherence to the law, lawlessness is more widespread than ever. He insisted that there is no solution other than your return to the political arena, and he said that if you decide to participate, he would return from his foreign mission.

Mr. Ahmad Toyserkani, the Deputy of Political and Judicial Affairs Supervision at the General Inspection Organization, came to report on the case of Hossein Malouji, the former Minister of Mines and Metals. He defended their investigations, noting that they believed I was dissatisfied. Toyserkani, who is from Kerman, said he supports my management style.

Representatives from the Worker’s House, including Alireza Mahjoub, [Secretary-General of the Worker’s House], and Mohammad Kazazloo from the Worker’s Islamic Party, came to report on the divisions and infighting among the Second of Khordad groups. They sought my advice on their own electoral list.

They strongly urged me to run in the [Sixth Parliamentary] elections, stating that they have informed the left-wing groups that if I run, they will not participate in any list that excludes my name. They predicted a dire situation for the Parliament and the country if I do not participate.

In the afternoon, the Chinese Ambassador, Sun Bigan, came for a ceremonial meeting. He mentioned that Chinese officials consider me the founder of relations between the two countries. He shared a Chinese proverb: “Whenever you drink water, remember the well-digger.”

In the evening, I was a guest of the Supreme Leader. We discussed the coup in Pakistan. General Pervez Musharraf, the Chief of Army Staff, who was dismissed by [Prime Minister] Nawaz Sharif while on a trip, immediately returned to Pakistan, deployed the military in the streets, and surrounded Sharif's headquarters. Three hours after the interruption of radio and television broadcasts, at 11:00 PM local time, the dismissal of Nawaz Sharif was announced.

We also discussed the trial of Mr. Abdullah Nouri. The Supreme Leader described Nouri's recent actions as harmful and called the Khordad newspaper deviant. He also stated that Mr. Ataollah Mohajerani, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, is incorrigible. He warned that if clear measures are not taken to address cultural issues, he would publicly announce his dissatisfaction.

He expressed displeasure with Mr. Khatami’s trip to Germany and France and opposed the release of [Helmut Hofer], the German businessman, before Khatami's visit. Mr. Khatami had sought to secure Hofer's release before his trip. The Leader was also unhappy with the lowering of diplomatic protocol during Khatami's visit to France.

I told him that his criticism of the Combatant Clergy Association during Friday prayers was harsh and should be addressed. He agreed to make amends. He also considered the threat from the U.S. more serious than before, noting that a new, softer message had arrived from the U.S. government, coinciding with public statements by their spokesperson. He was serious about ensuring oversight on the implementation of general policies.

The United Nations announced today that the world’s population has reached six billion. Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the U.N., visited a baby born today to a Muslim mother named Fatima in Bosnia-Herzegovina, recognizing the child as the six billionth person on Earth.