Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 27, 2003

Dr. [Mohammad Jafari], head of the Faculty of Natural Resources at the University of Tehran, came along with a group of professors. They requested greater attention to research and natural resources and called for the establishment of a dedicated ministry for it. Mr. [Hassan] Danayi-Far, deputy at the Secretariat of the Expediency Discernment Council, came and said that this year’s budget situation of the council is not good. He believes that the United States will not face major problems in managing Iraq.

Managers of the Asia Economic newspaper came. Mr. [Iraj] Jamsidi, editor-in-chief of the Asia newspaper, had been with us in Evin Prison before the انقلاب and said he had been part of [Khosrow] Golsorkhi’s group. They praised the government’s reconstruction (Rafsanjani-era) program.

In the afternoon, Mr. [Seyyed Mahmoud Tarabi], the Friday prayer leader, Mr. [Hassan Sobhani], a member of parliament, and Mr. [Mohammad Ali Tohidi, Mirzababa Motahari-Nejad, Reza Khorasani-Nejad, and Mohammad Bagher Khorasani], officials from Damghan, came. They reported on the commemoration program for 23 clerical martyrs in their region and requested that I attend the ceremony in Damghan. They also presented reports on the state of seminaries and the prayer hall (mosalla), which was built with my support and still needs further assistance. They mentioned that pistachio farming in Damghan has prospered.

Today in Baghdad, people held demonstrations against the Mojahedin [MEK]. A massive explosion occurred at the Al-Doura refinery. In Jakarta airport, an explosion also occurred in an American store, injuring several people. In Mosul, it was announced that a mass grave of Iranian prisoners of war who had been martyred has been discovered, and the Committee for Searching for the Remains of Martyrs has requested the transfer of the bodies.

Russia launched the Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station to replace crew members and deliver supplies. After the explosion of the American Space Shuttle Columbia and the suspension of the US space program, access to the station has been exclusively in Russian hands, and no other country can send manned spacecraft.

A large number of MEK members who are trying to flee Iraq are stranded at the Jordanian border.

Mr. Reza Hashemi-Pour, a relative, brought some ostrich meat and said it is free of fat and cholesterol. I tried some tonight; not bad.