Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - November 14, 2001

Opening of the News and Politics Festival 

The meeting of General Qassem Soleimani and a report on the actions of the IRGC's Quds Force 

Consultation and interview with a group of Islamic professors of universities 

Full text: 

For the opening of the News and Politics Festival, we went to the Hamaishhai International Center in Sadosima. We visited the exhibition. Dr. [Ali] Larijani, [the head of the Sadawasima organization], welcomed and reviewed the direct reports of [journalists] from Gaza [City] [in Palestine] and [Kabul in] Afghanistan and then my talks about [factors] the success and duties of Sadawasima were conducted in actual conditions and a short interview. 

I arrived at my office at half past eleven. Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, came. 
He reported on the situation in Afghanistan. He said that with the collapse of the Taliban front in Mazar-i-Sharif, most of the provinces were liberated by the people and the United Front handed over the liberated cities and despite the wishes of America, the United Front captured Kabul and Pakistan and America were in front of the attack. 

He believes that [Osama] bin Laden, [Al Qaeda leader] and Mullah Omar, [Taliban leader] can stay in Afghanistan and run guerrilla warfare, and possibly Pakistan will lead the southern coalition front against the northerners. Tomorrow he will go to Afghanistan to shift Iran's policies to a united front and believes that Mr. Rabbani is weak in managing the current situation. 

In the afternoon, a group of Islamic professors from universities came. They will have interviews with me to answer the doubts in the students' exams. Today, the roots of the revolution, especially the issue of land reforms during the time of the Shah, the position of clergy and the person in charge, were discussed. 

Israel has rejected a UN Security Council mandate to withdraw from the West Bank and clashes continue. A Fatah official in Palestine said that in exchange for Israel's withdrawal from Zionist settlements and removal of 400,000 Jews from the West Bank, the Palestinians may give up the right of free people to return to Israel's mainland, but the Palestinian revolutionary forces have rejected this theory. 

Last night, Hamshira Tayba came to say goodbye to the journey of a lifetime. A massive storm in recent days has caused extensive damage in Algeria, Vietnam, the Philippines and Cuba.