Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - November 4, 2001

Holding a consultative meeting with the deputies of the Strategic Research Center focusing on the situation in Afghanistan and the explanations of Hassan Rouhani and the report of the Ministry of Information on its relations with the Taliban 

Gholamreza Aghazadeh's report on nuclear development plans and criticism of Seyed Mohammad Khatami's reports 

Full text of the day: 

We had a meeting with the deputies of the Research Center [Strategic Council for Assessing the Expediency of the System] and the talks were more about Afghanistan. Both the United States and Britain have come to the conclusion that the war has not progressed and are looking for a way out. 

Dr. [Hassan] Rouhani, [Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and Director of the Center for Strategic Research] said, "The Japanese have asked us to help for the honorable exit of America from Afghanistan, and they are also upset with the lack of movement of the Northern United Front and consider one of the ways to save themselves is to eliminate the Taliban from the north and unify the north." They say that the Taliban are not weakened and are not short of troops and weapons, and that the Taliban supporters in Pakistan have the necessary support in terms of manpower, weapons, logistics and intelligence. 

The intelligence ministry, which has ties to the Taliban, says the Taliban are grateful to Iran for opening border bazaars that solve their trade problems and demand munitions, and says Sadosima in Afghan news is exaggerating to weaken the United States. The United States has not yet been able to prepare an acceptable plan for the future and is forced to agree with Russia not to accept the Taliban, and with the explicit positions of the leadership, the government and the Supreme National Security Council, they cannot take action on these issues. 

In the evening, Mr. [Gholamreza] Aghazadeh, [the head of the Atomic Energy Organization] came. He gave a report on the progress of important nuclear projects and criticized the report of Mr. [Seyed Mohammad] Khatami, [the president] to the parliament and said that the figures in the same report deny the analytical statements. He said that the governments have stopped the plan to transfer laser technology under the pressure of the United States. 

In Tehran and the cities, demonstrations against America were held on the occasion of the Day of Combating Arrogance. [Osama] bin Laden has said in statements that the heads of Arab countries who express friendship with the United States are infidels and has called on the people of Pakistan to rise against General [Pervez] Musharraf. He gave this message to Al Jazeera TV via video cassette. 

The head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has praised the efforts of the Iranian Red Crescent in helping Afghan refugees and criticized the United Nations for not sending aid to Iran. In Georgia, there are daily demonstrations against [Eduard Shevardnadze], the president, demanding his resignation.