Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - August 1, 2001 - Meeting with Hassan Rouhani

Meeting with members of the Zainab Society and hearing the report from Monireh Nobakht.

Meeting and consultation with Abdul Halim Khaddam, the then Deputy President of Syria.

Following previous meetings, a meeting with Mehdi Safari regarding the end of his ambassadorship in Moscow and the replacement of Gholamreza Shafaei.

In continuation of Hashemi's meeting yesterday with Ayatollah Khamenei and the Ayatollah's order to the Air Force to evacuate foreign investors in the Alborz oil region, a meeting with Hassan Rouhani for consultation on the implications of that order.

Full Text of the Daily Entry:

Members of the Zainab Society came. Ms. [Monireh] Nobakht, [Secretary-General of the Zainab Society], presented a report, and I spoke about the significant position of women under Islam, the important services of the Islamic Revolution of Iran to women, the necessity of paying attention to women's issues, and the new conditions in dealing with women's matters. I emphasized the importance of refraining from imposing un-Islamic traditional preferences or radical permissiveness and libertarianism.

Mr. [Abdul Halim] Khaddam, the Deputy President of Syria, came to discuss the situation in Palestine, Israel, and the region. He stated that Hezbollah's victory over the occupying Israeli army has shattered the myth of Israel's invincibility. Under these circumstances, the people of Palestine initiated the Al-Aqsa Intifada, imposing further humiliations and defeats on Israel. Israeli society is becoming agitated and heading toward violence; however, violence and war can no longer save Israel. Arab governments are not in a good position, but the Arab and Islamic nations are serious supporters of the Palestinians. He does not dismiss the possibility of war, noting that the U.S. and some Arab countries want to suppress the Intifada with [George] Mitchell’s plan. He emphasized the importance of Iran's cooperation in defending Palestine and called for resolving the issues between Iran and Iraq while preventing Turkey from aligning with Israel. On behalf of Bashar al-Assad, [the President], I was invited to Syria, and I accepted.

Mr. [Mehdi] Safari, our ambassador in Russia, came. His term as ambassador has ended, and Mr. [Gholamreza] Shafaei is set to replace him. He expressed concern about his work situation after returning from Russia and explained part of his new initiatives.

In the evening, Dr. [Hassan] Rouhani, [Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council], came. He discussed the outcomes of his trip to the Caucasus and the signing of a security agreement with three countries, along with the inconclusive discussions with [Haydar] Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan. Upon his return, the issue of the Alborz oil region [in the Caspian Sea] arose, and Azerbaijan launched a wide wave of protests against Iran's military actions to expel British companies. It is anticipated that this dispute will be prolonged and could become a sore point in our relations and the region.