Akbar Hashemi’s Memoirs – February 16, 2003

Continued anti-war demonstrations in the world.  Regarding the number of marchers, different statements were made from eight million to 20 million people.  But Ms. Rice, Bush's security adviser, said that America will not abandon the goal of overthrowing the Iraqi regime.

Full text of the newspaper:

Even today, anti-war demonstrations continued in many countries.  There was a lot of discussion and analysis and reports about yesterday's global demonstrations in the media.  Regarding the number of marchers, different statements were made from eight million to 20 million people, and the largest number was in Spain, Italy, and England.  Several major American cities are also witnessing huge demonstrations;  Including in New York, where the number of [participants] was said to be up to one million people.  In many countries, the American flag and [George] Bush's effigy have also been set on fire.  
The American authorities have been inactive and have not lost the threatening language.  Ms. Condoleezza Rice, Bush's security advisor, said that America will not abandon the goal of overthrowing the Iraqi regime.  [Tony] Blair, [British Prime Minister], who used to talk about the disarmament of Iraq, is now talking about overthrowing him.  
[Sixth] Parliament members impeached [Mr. Kamal Kharazi], the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in connection with the trip of [Naji Sabri], the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq. 
The price of oil in the United States has approached 37 dollars per barrel. The decrease in the strategic reserves of the United States, the continuation of the Iraq crisis, and the decrease in oil production in Venezuela are among the factors.  Today's strike by Nigerian oil industry workers can raise the price again. 
Mr. [Syed Mahmoud] Hosseini, the mayor of Tehran's 10th district, came. He gave a report on the state of the district and construction plans.  He believes that the country cannot bear the political, cultural and economic damages of the extremists' rule any more.  He said that his daughter, who is a student and voted for Mr. Khatami, now says that even freedom has decreased and especially due to the spread of cultural and moral corruption, modest women cannot go to cultural environments. 
Mr. [Hasan] Banianian, the new head of the art department of the [Islamic] Propaganda Organization, came. He gave a report on cultural deviations and setbacks and their dangers and said that if this situation continues, the future of the revolution is in danger.  He suggested that the assembly should think about it.  
In the evening, the Friday imams of Qazvin province came.  They had questions about the future of Iraq and globalization issues.  They criticized the performance of government officials and called them gangsters and politicians and asked us to think about the future management of the country.  They invited me to go on a trip to Qazvin.