Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - November 6, 1999 - Criticism of the Repetitive Nature of Eid al-Mab'ath Ceremony at Ayatollah Khamenei’s Office

In today’s entry, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani expressed dissatisfaction with the ordinary and repetitive speeches given during the Eid al-Mab'ath celebration at Ayatollah Khamenei’s office, subtly criticizing the remarks of the Supreme Leader.

Following the ceremony, Rafsanjani walked from the Supreme Leader’s residence to his office, accompanied by President Mohammad Khatami and Judiciary Chief Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi. Rafsanjani noted that more serious issues should be addressed during the upcoming heads of government meeting.

In the afternoon, he visited the Tehran International Exhibition to inaugurate the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee's exhibition, which showcased 20 years of achievements from 220 booths representing various provinces, including Khorasan, West Azerbaijan, Zanjan, and Khuzestan. The committee is supporting around 4.5 million people in need, with this year’s budget totaling 2.3 trillion rials. Rafsanjani praised their employment and self-sufficiency programs, where instead of providing direct financial aid, the committee offers loans and helps create jobs for families.

During the event, a report was presented by Seyyed Reza Niri, head of the committee, who attributed much of the committee’s success to Rafsanjani’s support, noting that after the Iran-Iraq war, under Rafsanjani’s presidency, relief funding tripled.

Later, Rafsanjani spent time with family members who visited him for Eid al-Mab'ath celebrations, including a visit from his cousin Hussein Marashi, who brought pomegranates, traditional qorma, and bread from Rafsanjan. In the evening, his children, Yasser, Maryam, and Leila, returned from their trip to Kuwait and joined him for dinner.