Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - March 19, 2002 - Meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei and His Opposition to Negotiations with America Despite Previous Approval

Meeting with Turki Safar, Syrian Ambassador to Tehran

Consultation with Gholamreza Aghazadeh After the Extension of His Membership in the Expediency Council

Meeting with Seyed Abdolvahed Mousavi Lari, and Hashemi’s Reminder to Seyed Mostafa Tajzadeh to Avoid Creating Problems for the Islamic Azad University

Meeting with Morteza Alviri, Former Mayor of Tehran, Reporting on Malekpour’s Approval for the "Haram to Haram" Project, Though Malekpour Had Hoped to Take Action in Exchange for the Release of His Confiscated Properties

Meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei and His Opposition to Negotiations with America Despite Previous Approval

Full Diary Text:

Mr. [Turki Safar], the Syrian ambassador, came to extend an invitation for a trip to Syria. The letter was signed by Abdul Halim Khaddam, the First Vice President of Syria. I postponed the trip for another time. I inquired about the plan of Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia regarding Palestine, which Syria had also endorsed. He said that Mr. Farouk al-Sharaa, [the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs], had been tasked during his visit to Iran with explaining it to me, but he was unable to meet me. The explanation is that Syria has been under pressure, and after Prince Abdullah clarified that the plan includes the right of return for refugees and the implementation of UN resolutions, Syria accepted it. He emphasized that Syria’s policy has not changed compared to the past.

Mr. [Gholamreza] Aghazadeh, head of the Atomic Energy Organization, came. He mentioned that the Americans seem to be aware of the organization's programs and have increased their efforts to block them. He sought advice on how to proceed, stating that even if the plans are exposed, they comply with international regulations and are intended for peaceful purposes, which has been the declared policy. He also reported that Mr. Barati, who had made statements against him in connection with the [Shahram] Jazayeri case, has been released. Barati claimed that he made those statements under intense pressure, and they are not important.

Mr. [Abdolvahed] Mousavi Lari, the Minister of the Interior, came and sought help in fostering unity. I suggested that a group of wise individuals from both sides should be gathered within the government to identify areas of disagreement and agreement. For irreconcilable issues, a clear red line should be drawn, and each side should use individuals from the other in the institutions under their control, as I had done during my time in the ministries, governorships, and vice-presidencies. I also asked him to tell Mr. [Mostafa] Tajzadeh, [Deputy Minister of Political Affairs], not to interfere with the Islamic Azad University. We also discussed the current situation and the threat posed by America.

In the afternoon, Mr. [Morteza] Alviri, [the former mayor of Tehran], came. He said that relations between the mayor’s office and the city council had reached an impasse, leaving no option but to resign. He informed me that Mr. Malekpour, who has implemented major development projects in the U.S. and China, has agreed to expand the "Haram to Haram" project in Qom.

In the evening, I was a guest of the Leader [Ayatollah Khamenei]. His back pain is improving. We discussed the American threat and possible countermeasures. Regarding negotiations with America, which he had previously allowed through members of parliament, he now opposed them due to the leftists’ exploitation of the situation.

Israel, under American pressure, has withdrawn from part of the territories under the Palestinian Authority, but the clashes continue. The global perception is that [Dick] Cheney’s [U.S. Vice President] trip to the Middle East to gain support for an attack on Iraq has been unsuccessful. It has been reported that a ship carrying 200 Afghans sank off the coast of Chabahar. Today, there has been good rainfall in many parts of the country.