Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - January 18, 2002

We were guests of the leadership at night with the heads of the branches. In the case of Ayatollah Montazeri, it was decided to lift the siege. In the case of Russia's request to hand over the Bushehr nuclear fuel residues, it was decided not to accept it for the time being until a comprehensive review is conducted. The leadership asked the heads of the three branches to act more seriously regarding the fight against economic corruption...

Full text of the daily:

In the session of the Assembly [Determining the Expediency of the System], the request for an explanation regarding smuggled goods was answered and the parliament's resolution regarding the extradition agreement, which was objected to by the Guardian Council, was accepted and the parliament's resolution regarding credibility was returned to the commission.
Mr. Ebrahim Amini, [Second Vice Chairman of the Assembly of Experts] said that Ayatollah Montazeri's condition is not good. He sleeps 17 hours a day and is somewhat forgetful. He asked me to help lift the siege.
I did the work until the evening. We were guests of the leadership at night with the heads of the forces. In the case of Ayatollah Montazeri, it was decided that the siege would be lifted. In the case of Russia’s request to hand over the Bushehr nuclear fuel residues, it was decided that it would not be accepted for the time being until a comprehensive review was conducted. The leadership asked the heads of the three branches to act more seriously regarding the fight against economic corruption. In the case of the invitation of [Abdullah Gul], the Prime Minister of Turkey, for a meeting in Turkey with the participation of five countries: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and Turkey, to review the issue of Iraq, it was decided that first, Iran’s position should be to prevent American domination by imposing a government of its own nature. Second, Iran should propose that there should be a meeting of foreign ministers first, then a meeting of leaders; to be informed in advance of the goals of the meeting.
Regarding the purchase of gas from Turkmenistan, it was decided that an expert review should be conducted. The Ministry of Oil does not agree; Due to lack of consumption and customers, but Mr. [Firoz] Dowlatabadi, our ambassador to Turkey, claims that Turkey is the customer. Mr. Khatami, [President] said that Bashar al-Assad, [Syrian President], did not visit Iran because it was announced by Iran.
Mr. [Seyyed Ali Asghar] Hejazi, [from the leadership’s office] announced that the interrogation of Hayat-e-No [newspaper] journalists revealed that the insertion of the cartoon was a planned act and not a mistake or accident. It was decided that the article on the website [affiliated with the Mujahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization], which Mr. Taha Hashemi, [director-in-chief of the Entebbe newspaper] had reported, would be investigated.
In Afghanistan, in two direct attacks on American forces, 14 Americans were killed and many were injured. American forces were also attacked on the island of Madagascar, and today, large-scale demonstrations against America's war policy have taken place in more than 20 countries.
It is snowing in most parts of Iran.