Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - October 2, 2001 - Important Political and International Consultative Meeting with Kamal Kharrazi, then Minister of Foreign Affairs

• Important political and international consultative meeting with Kamal Kharrazi, then Minister of Foreign Affairs.
• Meeting with Sheikh Rouhollah Hosseinian has historical and bitter points.
• Request from Mostafa Barzegar, Director of the Institute of Visual Media, for the establishment of regulatory limitations by the Inspection Organization of the country.
• Significant meeting and report by Javad Maghsoodi, then Head of the Friday Prayer Headquarters in Tehran.
• Meeting with members of the Central Council of the Party of Martyrs.
• Meeting with Sheikh Gholam Hossein Mohseni Eje'i, appointed special prosecutor for the clergy, and a report on the cases involving the associates of Ayatollah Montazeri, Sheikh Abdollah Noori, Masha'allah Shams al-Wa'izin, Akbar Ganjii, and Emadeddin Baghi, among other consultations.

Full Diary Entry:

Mr. [Kamal] Kharrazi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, came and stated that our hands are tied in seizing the opportunity. Pakistan and some other countries have solved many problems using this opportunity. Pakistan’s sanctions have been lifted, and they have received financial assistance. He asked me to help get the leader’s permission for engagement with the U.S. I asked if all these concessions were given without receiving anything in return. He said that since we haven’t been allowed to engage, it has been without compensation. The removal of the “Death to America” slogan from Friday prayers, Mr. [Ahmad Borqani] going to the Swiss embassy to sign the memorial book for the victims of [the September 11 attacks], a minute of silence [during a football match], and the coordination of the Northern Alliance with the U.S., etc. I asked, if the U.S. requests that we do not support the Palestinian Intifada and Hezbollah in Lebanon or asks for assistance in the war against the Taliban, what would you respond? He had no answer.

Mr. [Rouhollah] Hosseinian, [Head of the Islamic Revolution Document Center], came. He provided a report on the condition of the document publication center and complained about the heavy taxes imposed by the Ministry of Economy and the lack of cooperation from the police and the Ministry of Intelligence in providing historical documents. He expressed despair regarding the state of the country due to the leader not taking the dangers seriously and complained about his treatment, seeking assistance and stating that he appreciates my remarks regarding the issues with America.

Mr. [Mostafa] Barzegar, responsible for the Institute of Visual Media [under the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance], came to request help in solving issues he faced due to pressures from the Inspection Organization of the country. Mr. [Javad] Maghsoodi, from the Tehran Friday Prayer Headquarters, came and requested that I attend Friday prayers every two weeks, stating that the removal of the “Death to America” slogan was the headquarters’ decision considering the circumstances of that day [after the September 11 attacks] and also due to a fax received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and that following the leader’s objections, the “Death to America” slogan would be reinstated next Friday.

In the evening, a group of [members of the] Central Council of the Party of Martyrs came. They provided an analysis of the state of the country, saying we are in a crisis heading toward danger, and they offered suggestions for solving problems. I pointed out the issues with their proposals. They could not defend themselves and sought solutions from me; I told them that the condition for effective action is that the leader better understands the existing realities.

Mr. [Gholam Hossein] Mohseni Eje'i, head of the Special Court for the Clergy, came. He reported on the cases of the associates of Ayatollah Montazeri, who have been arrested, stating that they have confessed to distributing leaflets and an eighty-page pamphlet, as well as a three-hour tape, and have claimed to have obtained the tape from Mr. [Seyed Mohammad] Khatami’s office, [the President], and that the individual who provided the tape has also been arrested, with Mr. Khatami requesting that the issue not be brought to the media. Mr. Abdollah Noori's name [former Minister of Interior and editor of the Khordad newspaper] has been included on a list proposed for amnesty on 13 Rajab [the birthday of Imam Ali (AS)]. If Mr. Shahroudi [the head of the Judiciary] does not remove it, it will go to the leader. He stated that Mr. [Masha'allah] Shams al-Wa'izin, [editor of the Jam-e-Jam newspaper], has come forward and expressed loyalty, and [Akbar] Ganjii and [Emadeddin] Baghi have also requested meetings, and the Press Monitoring Board is weak and has begun granting permits [for press publications], and a bad situation has arisen.

It has been announced that special British agents in Kabul are engaged in conflict with the Taliban, and the fear of terrorist attacks using chemical and biological materials has gripped the West.