Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - April 27, 2001 - Approval of Additional Provisions of Urban Planning Policies by the Expediency Discernment Council

Approval of Additional Provisions of Urban Planning Policies by the Expediency Discernment Council

Meeting with Gholamreza Foroozesh to Discuss Issues Arising from the Merger of the Ministries of Jihad and Agriculture

Meeting with Gholamali Haddad Adel and Aladdin Boroujerdi to Report on Parliamentary Activities

Continued Discussions Surrounding Mohsen Rezai's Open Letter to Seyyed Mohammad Khatami and the Intensifying Election Atmosphere

Complete Daily Record:

In the Infrastructure Committee of the Expediency Discernment Council, we completed the general urban planning policies. In the afternoon, Mr. Gholamreza Foroozesh, the former Minister of Jihad for Construction, came to discuss the challenges faced by poultry farmers, livestock breeders, and carpet weavers. He also addressed issues arising from the merger of the Ministries of Agriculture and Jihad, which have led to internal conflicts among the Jihad agricultural forces, and highlighted the new minister's inexperience, which has revealed weaknesses in the government's management.

Mr. Gholamali Haddad Adel, a representative from Tehran, and Mr. Aladdin Boroujerdi, a representative from Boroujerd, attended the meeting. They provided a report on organizing the right-wing faction and their work plans, citing examples of political maneuvers by the reformists. They proposed a strategy to organize committed revolutionary forces and discussed various economic issues facing the country, including rising unemployment, damage to industries, and the increasing prevalence of smuggling. Mr. Boroujerdi, who was among the organizers of the conference supporting the Intifada, noted that there had been significant disagreements during the drafting of the final statement. He mentioned that the draft prepared by the reformists was conservative, possibly to avoid angering the West. A representative from Hamas indicated that the drafters had not recognized Palestine, the Intifada, or Islam, leading to clashes with the participants, which prompted subsequent amendments.

Domestically, the atmosphere for the presidential election is gradually heating up, with increasingly sharp statements from both opponents and supporters of Mr. Seyyed Mohammad Khatami’s candidacy. Mr. Mohsen Rezai has explicitly claimed that Mr. Khatami's management is weak, stating that he speaks well but is not action-oriented, which has drawn criticism from the reformists.

In Japan, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is discussing the rearmament and military strength of Japan. In Indonesia, President Abdurrahman Wahid faces the threat of impeachment by the parliament. In Pakistan, many active supporters of the restoration of democracy have been arrested.