Memories of Akbar Hashemi - 6 January 2003

Alizadeh, head of the Deeds and Properties Registration Organization and a jurist member of the Guardian Council, stated that the Council was not in favor of the meeting with the Parliament's Presiding Board and that it was held at the request of the Leader's Office for the purpose of coordination. He also criticized the Council's strictness to some extent, despite belonging to the right-wing faction.

Full Diary Entry:

Mr. [Reza] Amrollahi, [former head of the Atomic Energy Organization], came by. He said that the importance of nuclear power plants lies in their spent fuel and that wanting to return this waste to Russia is contrary to the country's interests. He is upset that some imagine the progress made is related to the period after his tenure. He believes that everything achieved is from his time in office, which was delayed, and mentioned that he provided four thousand branches of the enrichment system.

Mr. [Abdulmajid] Ma'adikhah, [head of the History of the Revolution Foundation], visited. He gave a report on the progress of the Foundation's building and the cooperation with the Islamic Azad University regarding the history of the revolution. He requested to be better informed about recent domestic events and Iraqi issues, etc. In the evening, I performed the marriage ceremony for the son of [Mr. Abbas-Ali Torshizi], the chef of the Expediency Discernment Council.

Mr. [Mohammad-Reza] Alizadeh, head of the Deeds and Properties Registration Organization [and a jurist member of the Guardian Council], came. He reported on his services and wanted to know the system's policy regarding the upcoming parliamentary elections so he could align himself within the Guardian Council accordingly. He said the Council was not in favor of the meeting with the Parliament's Presiding Board and that it was held at the request of the Leader's Office for coordination. A text was prepared for the news of the meeting, but the Council later altered it in a way that caused a reaction from the parliamentarians and Mr. [Mehdi] Karroubi, [the Speaker of Parliament]. He also criticized the Council's strictness, even though he is from the right-wing. Mr. Karroubi said the same thing last night regarding how the news was broadcast. Previously, he had requested an appointment to discuss the flaws of the Judiciary, but in this meeting, he spoke more about the Guardian Council and a few of the judicial system's shortcomings arising from Mr. [Hashemi] Shahroudi's lack of experience.

At night, I was a guest of the Leader. We discussed the enrichment policy and its development, and opposition to returning the spent fuel from the Bushehr power plant—which Russia, under American pressure, insists on taking back. We talked about the condition of Ayatollah Montazeri, who is ill, and the medical team that went to Qom but returned to Tehran due to the opposition of the Qom Special [Clerical] Court to one of its members. We also discussed the summoning of [Mr. Ali Shamkhani], the Minister of Defense, by a group of representatives to answer to Parliament, the recent court cases, the passivity of the [Mosharekat Party] members, the possibility of convictions for some representatives [of the Sixth Parliament], the Petropars case, and the situation in Iraq. He is dissatisfied with the government's refusal to allow the visit of [Naji Sabri], the Iraqi Foreign Minister, [to Iran] and also stated that he has not opposed the imprisonment of the representatives.

Yesterday, a small single-engine plane was hijacked in Frankfurt, Germany, and it was announced that if his demands were not met, he would blow up the European Central Bank [building]. For two hours, it created such anxiety that many tall buildings in the city were evacuated, the airport was closed, and fighter jets escorted it in the city's airspace for two hours; eventually, he surrendered and landed.

Yesterday and today, Israel conducted numerous attacks on Gaza and the West Bank in retaliation for Palestinian operations, killing and wounding several people.

The reflection of yesterday's speech by Saddam [Hussein, President of Iraq] regarding resistance and the spying of [UN weapons] inspectors for the U.S. is extensive. It has been interpreted as a response to rumors regarding his possible resignation and seeking asylum in Russia or a Western country; he said, "Our home is Iraq; we will stay and defend our home and people and make America regret it."

In Turkey, the leader of the Workers' Party has opposed the policy of [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, leader of] the Justice [and Development] Party regarding Cyprus, calling it a betrayal of national interests. He stated that after surrendering in Cyprus, the turn will come for the formation of a Kurdish state in Diyarbakır and has called on the people to act to overthrow the Justice and Development Party government.