Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - April 25, 2001 - Circumstances Surrounding the Publication of Mohsen Rezai's Open Letter to Seyyed Mohammad Khatami

Meeting with Mohammad Zohair Masharqa, the then-Deputy President of Syria, with Hashemi

Meeting with Khaled Mashal and Hamas Leaders with Hashemi

Participation in the Commemoration Ceremony for the Martyrdom of Sheikh Mahdi Shah Abadi and the Anniversary of the Passing of Ayatollah Mirza Mohammad Ali Shah Abadi

Circumstances Surrounding the Publication of Mohsen Rezai's Open Letter to Seyyed Mohammad Khatami

Release of an Announcement by Law Enforcement Regarding the Murder of Khosrow Mirbaghi by Mohsen Fallahian

Complete Daily Record:

Mr. Mohammad Zohair Masharqa, the Deputy President of Syria, visited. He expressed gratitude for Iran's support of the people of Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria and hoped that the decisions of the conference supporting the Intifada would yield fruitful results. I mentioned that Islamic governments, and even Palestinians outside Palestine, are neglecting their responsibilities, and Israel will not relent; it may even increase pressure on Syria and Lebanon. Yesterday, Mr. Saleem Zaanoun, the President of the Palestinian Authority, stated that Ariel Sharon's policy involves indirectly pressuring the Palestinians through increased pressure on Syria and Lebanon to abandon the Intifada.

Mr. Khaled Mashal, the leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement of Palestine, along with Hamas leaders and some Palestinian groups, visited. They thanked Iran for its support and expressed hope that the victory of Islamic resistance in Lebanon would be repeated in Palestine. I stated that if all burdens rest solely on the shoulders of Palestinians within the occupied territories, they will gradually weaken. Palestinians abroad and Arab governments must take practical actions; they responded that they would plan accordingly. The U.S. has threatened participants in the conference supporting the Intifada, stating that their names would be placed on a terrorist list.

I worked in my office until the evening. That night, I attended the ceremony commemorating the seventeenth anniversary of the martyrdom of Shahid Mahdi Shah Abadi and the fiftieth anniversary of his father's [Ayatollah Mirza Mohammad Ali Shah Abadi] passing at the Hosseiniyeh Irshad. I delivered a detailed speech about the role of Islam and clergy in history, the plots of imperialism, and the upbringing of righteous individuals, including Imam Khomeini during the reign of Reza Khan.

Today's newspapers highlighted Mr. Mohsen Rezai's open letter to Mr. Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, which includes many criticisms. Foreign media have also covered it. The Law Enforcement issued a statement confirming Mr. Ali Fallahian's remarks regarding the incident involving his son, stating that the officer named Khosrow Mirbaghi was undergoing disciplinary proceedings for misconduct and had been collaborating with criminals. Prior to this statement, many domestic and foreign media outlets had published articles against Mr. Fallahian.