Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – October 5, 1997

Mr. [Mohsen] Rezaei, [Secretary of the Expediency Recognition Council], came for the regulations and agenda of the meeting. Mr. [Abdul Majid] Maadikhah and [Ali Akbar] Mohtashmi came for an interview about Haj Agha Mustafa Khomeini, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of his death. I answered many questions. In the middle of the interview, I went to the Majlis for the funeral ceremony of the bodies of 200 martyrs whose bodies were recently found on the front. After returning, the rest of the interview was conducted. They insist that I open the ceremony in Qom; I did not refuse. Mr. [Syed Hossein] Mousaviyan came and consulted for work in the Secretariat of the Assembly or the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of National Security; Invited to both places. I said both places are good.

Mr. [Mohammed Reza] Bahnar, [Mortaza] Nabavi and [Hasan] Ghafouri Fard came [from the right wing]. They expressed concern about the state of affairs in the country - both in the political and administrative dimensions, due to the line settlements and due to the weakness of the management of economic affairs, which caused the stagnation, and also due to the future elections of councils, experts and parliament. They said, Mr. Natiq Nouri is not actively active, their faction does not have a leader, and their politics and policies are not clear. They asked me to help clear the ambiguity and activate Mr. Natiq [Nuri].

I pointed out their weak points in the last two elections and said, in order to be active, they should improve them and think about attracting moderate forces - instead of rejecting them - such as agents, who are the crystallization of that part of society, and prevent the violence and harshness of Hezbollah, which causes resentment among young people and women.

Mr. Ghasemi came from the Ministry of Energy. He praised my management and regretted the current situation. He said, [the impartial Mr. Habibullah], the new Minister of Energy, is far from Mr. Zanganeh. He had recommendations to strengthen the strategic research center.

Mr. [Mohammed] Hanrdost came. He said that Mr. Khatami's office [the President] has answered and asked to issue a decision to advise the office, but he has not accepted. He criticized some of their situation and asked me to hire him. Mr. [Mohammed] Falah, the secretary of the anti-narcotics headquarters, came and explained about the shortcomings of the anti-narcotics work and said that he is against increasing the punishments, but there is no solution.

At night, I went to Imam Khomeini's Hosseinieh and participated in the Rehbari prayer [on the occasion of the Fatimid days]. The preacher and madah spoke weak words and some of the listeners were crying uncontrollably. The leadership meeting can be more sober than this.