Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – May 6, 2003

Mr. [Esmail] Davoudi Shamsi, head of Parliament’s administrative organization, came. He gave a report on plans to establish a center for the refinement and consolidation of laws and had proposals for solving the problems of the Rafsanjan water project. He also thanked me for my assistance with the Yazd water project.

Mr. [Mohammad Mehdi] Abdkhodaei, secretary-general of the Fadayan-e Islam organization, came. He spoke about the poor condition of the textile industry and said that even his own thread and fiber factory, which had previously faced fewer difficulties, has recently encountered serious problems. Production, sales, management, liquidity shortages, and labor issues have all paralyzed operations.

Mr. [Hamidreza] Assefi, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, came and criticized the interviews given by Mr. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council. He also sought advice regarding responses to questions related to nuclear issues that have heightened sensitivities among the United States, Europe, Russia, and Arab countries.

In the afternoon, Messrs. [Ali] Shamkhani, Defense Minister, and [Seyyed Ali] Hosseini-Tash, deputy minister, came. Important matters were discussed regarding nuclear and laser-related issues, Iraq, governance, and foreign policy.

Mr. [Bijan Namdar] Zangeneh, Oil Minister, came. He asked my opinion regarding a text prepared during the meeting of the heads of government branches concerning joint oil fields with Iraq. It is planned that we will sign it. He also reported that studies by an Austrian company have added 10 billion barrels of oil to the reserves of Marun and Ahvaz, and that a very rich gas layer has been discovered beneath the Soleiman reservoirs.

At night, we had a meeting with the Leader. He is dissatisfied with the government’s employment-generation policies. Through the Academic Jihad organization, field research had been conducted, concluding that at most 40 percent of the emergency employment plan’s goals had been achieved. Discussion also took place regarding the Additional Protocol 2+93, which the International Atomic Energy Agency wants Iran to sign; he is opposed to it. Talks also covered the activities of the Atomic Energy Organization, the Defense Ministry, procurement efforts, and proposals from North Korea and Russia. Regarding Iraq, he believes the United States has become incapable of administering the country, has reached out to opposition groups, and that this situation should be used to establish an Islamic government there—even if it is not exactly like Iran’s.

In Iraq, reports continue daily about the discovery of mass graves and casualties caused by remaining cluster bombs. The head of Karbala Hospital announced that so far 85 people have been killed or injured by explosions from these bombs.

[Tom Dalyell], known as the “Father of the British Parliament,” says that [Tony] Blair, the British Prime Minister, is surrounded by Zionist advisers and has made Britain captive to Zionist demands. Arab and Western media also write that the White House is run by Zionist lobbies such as [Donald] Rumsfeld, the Defense Secretary, and Condoleezza Rice, National Security Adviser to George Bush, and that [Ariel] Sharon, Prime Minister of Israel, has effectively replaced George Bush’s spiritual father.

In Iraq, Ms. Huda Saleh, a chemist scientist who was among the list of 55 wanted figures, was arrested. The United States hopes to use her to uncover facts about weapons of mass destruction.

In Afghanistan, multiple demonstrations were held today in Kabul against American forces, and clashes also continued.

It was announced that the Russian Soyuz spacecraft, which was returning the crew of the International Space Station to Earth, landed 400 kilometers away from its designated landing site, causing serious concern.