Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - March 15, 2002 - Formation of a Session of the Expediency Council to Resolve Disputes between the Parliament and the Guardian Council on Various Issues

Delay in Seyyed Mohammad Khatami's Presence Due to Technical Malfunction of the Aircraft
Bijan Namdar Zanganeh's Concern over the Summons of the Board of Directors of the National Iranian Oil Company
Issuance of Final Decisions for Members of the Expediency Council by Ayatollah Khamenei

Full Diary Text:

Throughout the day and into the evening, the [Expediency Council] convened to address the disputes between the Parliament and the Guardian Council regarding [Article 21] of the 1381 budget bill. The main point of contention was the budget allocations for foreign loans for development projects, which the Guardian Council deemed usurious [and exceeding the country's credit ceiling], thus declaring them contrary to Islamic law. After extensive discussion, it was determined that the total past commitments and permissions for this year amounted to approximately $40 billion, with an additional $40 billion from buy-back agreements, totaling $80 billion. The council approved the Parliament's perspective.

The council also endorsed four other items related to [the provincial allocation of 50 percent of the budgets] for the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, the sale of worn-out and surplus assets of the [Law Enforcement Force], the merging of independent funding lines for the protection, intelligence, and ideological-political divisions of the armed forces [into other sections], and the transfer of international telecommunications points to the private sector [to enhance the informational and internet space in secondary schools and education, as well as to promote private investment in information service centers (ASP)]. However, both the government and the Parliament must agree, as the main issue remains the foreign budget allocations. Mr. Khatami, [the President], arrived towards the end of the session due to a technical issue with his aircraft returning from Greece.

Mr. [Bijan Namdar] Zanganeh, [the Minister of Oil], expressed concern about the summons of the board of directors of the oil company to court. A new decree from the Leader regarding the members of the Expediency Council was issued; Mr. [Mohsen] Nourbakhsh, [Mohammad-Reza] Mahdavi-Kani, [Seyyed Mohammad Mousavi] Khouiniha, and [Abdollah] Nouri were removed, and six new members were added. My presidency was reaffirmed, and I received thanks from both the Leader and the council.

The European Union issued a 13-point statement regarding Palestine, calling for an independent Palestinian entity in the territories occupied since 1967, but did not mention refugees. In Israel, there has been a surge of concern and anxiety, with serious opposition to [Ariel] Sharon's [Prime Minister of Israel] iron fist policy. Economic and security issues, along with reverse migration, have raised alarms among Westerners, and polls indicate unfavorable sentiments towards Sharon. Given this situation, it seems unlikely that Israel will accept these proposals, including the Saudi proposal.