Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 22, 2003

Yesterday, about 200,000 people demonstrated in Baghdad and protested the arrest of three Shia clerics by the Americans who returned to Baghdad after visiting Karbala.  It is important to hold this demonstration on the first day of [Jay] Garner's arrival in Iraq.  The waves of people who go on foot from far away to Karbala are the attention of political and military circles.  For 30 years, the Shiites have not had such an opportunity due to the restrictions of the Baathists.
[Donald] Rumsfeld, [US Secretary of Defense] denied the news [newspaper] New York Times about the plan to establish four military bases in Iraq.  The IRGC announced that America should hand over the leaders of the Mojahedin Khalq Organization to Iran.
Mr. [Mohsen] Aminzadeh, Deputy [Asia and Pacific] Minister of Foreign Affairs came.  Regarding Afghanistan, he said, the Americans kill several people a week and they are determined to stay in Iraq and if they cannot stay with the resistance of the people, they may manage Iraq through the United Nations and with the help of Russia and the European Union and advertise that their goal is to overthrow the Baath regime and destroy the weapons of mass destruction, which they have achieved.
Mr. [Mohammed Javad] Zarif, [Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations] came.  He gave the report of the negotiations with the Americans in Geneva about Iraq and said that they object to the behavior of the Supreme Assembly and the Badr Corps, and we have told them that they are Iraqi people and have nothing to do with Iran.  The next negotiation session is supposed to be this weekend;  Similar to what happened in Afghanistan and he suggested that now we should clarify whether we have a policy of engagement or a policy of hostility with America and he commented that we should have a policy of engagement.
Mr. [Mohammed] Hanrdost, [Deputy of Communications and International Affairs of the Broadcasting Organization] came.  He talked about the measures he has taken to spread Iraqi news, especially for the Arbaeen [walk] and criticized the majority of the Council of Broadcasting.  In the evening, Mr. [Mohammed Hasan] Rahimian, [the head of the Shahid Foundation] came and said that [the affairs of] veterans and freedmen should be handed over to the Shahid Foundation.  Consulted to continue the work;  I said stay.
I was the guest of the leader.  They criticize the government's weakness in solving problems, including employment, and they said that in a meeting they had with the economic team, they criticized them and they answered that the president's decisiveness in making decisions is necessary. They said that they accept the negotiation with the United States about Iraq as it is.  We discussed the nuclear issues and the future possibilities of the fate of Iraq and the hypocrites and the issues we will have with America.
[Jay] Garner, [Executive Chairman of the Interim Coalition Government of Iraq], has appointed three governors for the north, south and center of Iraq. Mr. [Mohammed Taqi] Madrasi and a group of companions who went to Iraq from Iran were arrested on the way to Karbala.