Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - December 28, 2002

I cautioned [Gholamreza] Aghazadeh not to rush into signing the agreement for the return of spent nuclear fuel, as it is very valuable. He said they had reviewed the matter and concluded it is better to accept; because under U.S. pressure, the Russians are saying they will not deliver the fuel without this agreement. I told him that according to the contract, they are obligated to deliver it.

The sons of Messrs. Moqtadaei, Dorri, and Rastegari, who were convicted in the [Shahram] Jazayeri court case, complained about the politicization of the Judiciary and interference in the judge's ruling.

Full Text of the Daily Diary:

The Infrastructural Commission [of the Expediency Discernment Council] held a meeting and approved the policies for subsidies, marketing, and the production process of the agricultural sector.

I cautioned Mr. [Gholamreza] Aghazadeh, [Head of the Atomic Energy Organization], not to rush into signing the agreement for the return of the spent nuclear fuel from the Bushehr power plant, as these residues are very valuable. He stated that following a letter from Mr. [Reza] Amrollahi [former Head of the Atomic Energy Organization] to President [Khatami] regarding this matter, they had reviewed it and concluded it is better to accept; because under U.S. pressure, the Russians are saying that without this agreement, they will not deliver the fuel. I told him that according to the contract, they are obligated to deliver it. He mentioned that in the first protocol, it is stipulated that Iran must not use these residues. It was decided that he should send a full report for review.

In the afternoon, the sons of Messrs. [Morteza] Moqtadaei, [Qurbanali] Dorri, and [Mahmoud] Rastegari, who were convicted in the [Shahram] Jazayeri trial, came to see me. They complained about the politicization of the Judiciary and interference in the judge's verdict; based on the explanations they provided, it seems to me they have been wronged and are victims of the negative atmosphere against "Aghazadehs" (well-connected children of officials) and political maneuvering; they hope for the verdict to be overturned.

[Donald Rumsfeld], the U.S. Secretary of Defense, has asked the military to be ready for war, and the U.S. stated that one of Iraq's official scientists has given important information to [UN weapons] inspectors. It is said that Iraq has introduced 500 scientists to the inspectors. Iraq says it will defend street by street and is certain that the U.S. is looking for an excuse to start a war.

It was announced that the first cloned human has been born in the U.S.; France and Germany called it a great crime against humanity and demanded it be stopped. The Vatican and Al-Azhar [Egypt] have also condemned and prohibited human cloning.

In Britain, a large group of distinguished figures named [George] Bush [U.S. President] and [Ariel] Sharon [Israeli Prime Minister] as the most wicked individuals of 2002. Two thousand five hundred German scientists and intellectuals, in a statement, strongly protested Bush's warmongering policies.

The death toll from the explosion in [Grozny], the center of the Chechen government, has reached 60, with 90 injured. Also, 200 people have perished due to the cold in Moscow in recent days.

In Palestine, an operation by Mujahideen in a Jewish settlement left four dead and seven wounded.