Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 5, 1989

After the morning prayer, I did yesterday's backlog. I wrote the text of the statement of the Assembly of Experts regarding the approval of the leadership of Ayatollah Khamenei and gave it for publication. I consulted with some members of the Board of Directors about using the title of Ayatollah instead of Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin. They agreed.

I read the reports and telexes related to the death of Imam and the election of Ayatollah Khamenei and other issues. I watched the farewell ceremony of the Imam's corpse in the mosque of Tehran on radio and television. It is very magnificent. At 10:30 in the morning, I flew with a helicopter over Tehran and Mosli and its surrounding streets.

[Mr. Zoabi] The Prime Minister of Syria, who had not been able to reach Mosla from the ground, had observed the place and the ceremony with a helicopter. Mr. [Mohammed] Asghari, the responsible manager of Kihan newspaper, came. He brought the extraordinary issue and consulted for an editorial about the leadership of Ayatollah Khamenei. I warned the relevant centers about the issuance of leadership approval statements.

It appears from the reports that Westerners are happy with the election of Ayatollah Khamenei and hope that moderation will prevail and radicals will be isolated. They are surprised by the speed of Iran's action in solving the leadership issue. They thought that this issue will cause conflicts and possibly civil war.

In the evening, I went to Tehran mosque. I cried near Imam Qadri's funeral. People expressed a lot of emotions. Yasser and Efat also came with me to the ceremony. I had an interview. I spoke a little for the people.

I came to Jamaran. I went to Imam's house to offer condolences. I came home at night. I saw part of the ceremony on TV. People's emotions are intense. Many confirmations for the leadership of Ayatollah Khamenei came on TV; it is good