Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - April 16, 2001 - Meeting with Qassem Soleimani and Report on the Situation of Forces under His Command in Syria and Lebanon

Meeting with Seyyed Mohammad Ali Iyazi and Presentation of the Edited Version of Ayatollah Montazeri's Memoirs
Visit from Members of the Dry Tea Factories Syndicate and Discussion of Their Issues
Report by Ebrahim Raisi on the Judicial Procedures Regarding the Detention of Individuals and Publications

Full Diary Text:

Mr. [Mohammad Ali] Iyazi, [a member of the Central Council of the Association of Teachers and Researchers of Qom], came to see me. He brought an edited two-volume version of Ayatollah [Hossein Ali] Montazeri's memoirs and mentioned that some amendments had been made to the initial draft that I had seen. He also inquired about the detention of Mr. Saeed Montazeri, [Ayatollah Montazeri's son]. I informed him that during the New Year holiday, after his meeting with me, he had been granted a visit; he said that he faced five charges.

A group of members from the Syndicate of Dry Tea Factories visited. They complained about the improper implementation of privatization measures in the tea industry and stated that the Tea Organization had brought 120,000 tons of cheap tea from the past into the market, hindering the sales of the existing tea factories. Consequently, the factories currently lack liquidity to purchase this year's green leaves, which is a serious risk; they proposed some solutions. They expressed their expectations from me, referring to me as the "father of tea," citing that with the support of the Development Government, tea cultivation had flourished and multiplied several times.

Sardar [Qassem] Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force [of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps], came to report on the situation in Lebanon following Israeli airstrikes on Syrian forces and new aggressions by Israel in the occupied territories. He sought consultation regarding Hezbollah's position in Lebanon. I remarked that it seems Israel is serious about implementing its iron-fist policy, and Hezbollah must ensure that Syria, Lebanon, and other Arab countries do not abandon them. He criticized Iran's policy regarding Iraq and offered some suggestions.

Mr. [Ebrahim] Raisi, the head of the General Inspection Organization of Iran, arrived. He mentioned that they had obtained a document from Mr. [Alireza] Alavi Tabar, [editor of the newspaper Sobhe Emruz], which included confessions that suggested intentions to overthrow liberalism, and he pointed out the weakness of Mr. [Ali] Mobasheri, [the head of the Tehran Revolutionary Court], in terms of communication. He sought my advice regarding the establishment of a financial corruption combat headquarters recently announced by the judiciary. I advised that if they wanted to implement it like the program to combat windfall profits, it would not be advisable and would lead to stagnation and issues in the country, resulting in no fruitful outcome, as seen in the previous program.

In the evening, I conducted an interview with [Sadegh Al-Hosseini] regarding the policies of reconstruction and the late war. A group of notaries public came to complain about the directive from the [General Directorate of Registration of Deeds and Properties], which forced them to open bank accounts and deposit office expenses there, seeking a solution to the problem; apparently, they are currently charging more than legally allowed from the public without providing the corresponding documentation.