Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – October 29, 2003

[Members of the Memorial Committee for Martyr Hossein Fahmideh and 36,000 Student Martyrs and] a group of Basij students came on the occasion of Basij Student Week. An eight-year-old blind girl who has memorized 27 parts of the Quran recited the Quran. Mr. Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam, deputy commander of the Resistance [Basij] Force, said in a report that nearly 10 million people have enrolled in the Basij, 40 percent of whom are students. In Tehran, there are 400,000 Basij students. I gave the awards [to exemplary Basij members Atana Torkashvand, Ali Izadi, Sama Babaei, and Masoumeh Rostaei]. I spoke to them about the role of the Basij in defense and other social affairs and compared the situation in Iraq and Iran.

Mr. Mohammad Fathali, our new ambassador to Uzbekistan, came and said that by studying the file of relations with Uzbekistan, he had realized that the policies of the Construction government for cooperation with Central Asia were fundamental and long-term. He consulted about strategies for developing relations.

Mr. Sardar Qasem Soleimani, commander of the IRGC Quds Force, came. He had recently returned from a five-day trip to Iraq and had important points, including:

1- The Americans are approaching absolute despair of achieving their goals.

2- They have asked the Badr Corps to participate in the administration of Iraq, but it is not intended that they accept, except in specific cases and at specific points. The senior American commander has negotiated with the Badr leaders.

3- The Americans have asked Mr. Seyyed Ali Sistani, the Shiite source of emulation, for permission to arrest Mr. Muqtada al-Sadr, which he opposed.

4- America intends to bring about a major change in the Governing Council.

5- Currently groups of Ba'athists, Ansar al-Islam, Al-Qaeda, Shia, and others are carrying out armed operations against the occupiers, Ba'athist leaders, police, and others, which are increasing daily.

6- Syria is active in fighting the occupiers. Individuals are also entering from Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

7- In the meeting with Ayatollah Sistani, it became clear that he is determined to be active in the issue of the Iraqi constitution and to include Islamism in it, and he requested that we help prepare the draft constitution.

8- Of the Shia cities he visited, he found them ruined and backward.

9- Currently about a thousand Iranian pilgrims with permits, and also a number without permits, go to Iraq daily.

10- About a thousand commanders of the [Badr] Corps have been gathered in Najaf and briefed on strategies.

In the evening Mr. Morteza Moghaddai, the former Prosecutor General, came. He requested that I go to Qom for the nationwide assembly of the country's scholars next month. He is, as before, complaining about Mr. Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, the Head of the Judiciary. He said that the case of Shahram Jazayeri, which had been sent to a branch of the Supreme Court in Qom, had been returned for the separation of the returned items and caused a delay. The fate of his son and others is unknown. Recently Jazayeri himself has also been released from prison.

Reactions regarding the Sa'dabad statement jointly [issued] by Iran and the Europeans on nuclear issues continue. Opposition is escalating inside. A demonstration in opposition has been announced for Friday. Yesterday at the University of Tehran, Basij academics held a meeting in opposition and also protested against Mr. Hassan Rouhani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. They claim that he was not the Leader's representative, whereas he acted with the full permission and agreement of the Leadership, although he had the decree from Mr. Khatami, the President. Slogan-writing against him has also begun on the walls. The President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, despite the fact that they themselves wanted the statement, say that we will not give up enrichment and the production of nuclear fuel. The Europeans also say that in return for Iran's signing of the Additional Protocol, they have made no commitment, and they are also coordinated with America. The [International Atomic Energy] Agency has also said that Iran's answers are not sufficient, which altogether suggests the possibility of new tension. Mr. Qasem Soleimani also said today that the IRGC commanders are dissatisfied with the four-party statement.

Iran has objected to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait's announcement of cooperation in the joint Arash oil field.

The tremendous fire in the forests of western America has turned into an unprecedented disaster, and they say that so far more than 200,000 hectares have burned, 50,000 people have been displaced, and 20 people have been killed, and billions of dollars in damage have been caused, and America's weakness in extinguishing or containing the fire is also noteworthy. At the same time, the 10-degrees-below-zero cold and snow in Moscow have taken many casualties. A strong storm of ionic particles on the surface of the sun is coming toward the earth, which will cause disruption in telecommunications.

At iftar, the guards and members of their families were my guests. Tonight we have good rain in Tehran.