Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani

I had a meeting with the deputies of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Discernment Council. We discussed the research program and current issues. The ongoing unrest, the session of the Board of Governors, and the situation in Iraq were discussed, and it was mentioned that some officials of the Ministry of Science and the radical Second of Khordad (reformist) faction are pleased with these events.

Mr. Behzad Nabovi, the vice-chairman of the parliament, said that the Guardian Council, which had shown some coordination on two bills in the first meeting of the commission, but withdrew in the second meeting.

I read the reports. Last night, there were student movements in Isfahan, Tehran, Karaj, Mashhad, Bandar Abbas, Kerman, and other cities.

We went to Mehrabad Airport in the morning to travel to Isfahan; we took an Iran-140 plane, which is manufactured through a cooperation between Iran and Ukraine. The purpose was to declare that the plane is safe, to encourage the manufacturers, and to attract cooperation from users.

At the Infrastructure Commission of the Expediency Discernment Council, three more articles of the general policies of land-use planning (Amayesh) were approved. A discussion was held regarding the high prices (inflation).

Last night, there were demonstrations at the University of Tehran dormitory and in the surrounding areas. Today, the police have been stationed inside the dormitory at the request of the Ministry of Science. Insults have been made against the country's officials, especially the Leader and the President. The US has officially announced that it supports them.

Mr. Seyed Mohammad Sadegh al-Hosseini, from the Dialogue Among Civilizations center, came. He had returned from a trip to Arab countries and said that most of them expect you to travel to their country. He requested an interview with Al Jazeera.

Mr. Saleh bin Humaid, the head of the Shura Council of Saudi Arabia, and his companions came. We discussed Palestine, Iraq, al-Qaeda, Afghanistan, the invasions by America, and cooperation among Islamic countries.

Dr. Rouhani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, came. He said that regarding the nuclear issue, a meeting had been held at the secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council based on the Leader's suggestion. The majority of those present believe that we must sign the Additional Protocol 2+93, on the condition that...

[Mr. Ali Tahqiqi], the new ambassador of Iran to Sierra Leone, came. He mostly criticized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its lack of attention to America and praised the views and actions of the Construction Government (dowlat-e sazandegi) in developing relations with Africa.

Afternoon. Mr. Ebrahim Amini, [Second Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of Experts], was my guest. He expressed concern about the current situation of the country, the disagreements, the high prices, and unemployment, and asked me...

"Yasser Arafat, the head of the Palestinian Authority, has declared that nothing was achieved for Palestine at the Sharm el-Sheikh and Aqaba summits, and that Israel, with utter impudence, continued its extensive aggressions even during the presence of George W. Bush, the US President, in the region and during the holding of the meeting."

Today at the ceremony for the martyrs of June 5, 1963 (15 Khordad 1342), there were speeches and chants against the representatives, 127 of whom had written a letter of protest to the leader. In Varamin, at the same ceremony where [Mr. Mousavi Lari], the Minister of Interior, gave a speech, there were chants against him and insults were made.

In both the American and British parliaments, pressure has begun on the governments to explain the causes and factors of the war in Iraq, especially the claim of the existence of weapons of mass destruction. 

[Mr. Riscardo Seza], the Italian ambassador came to say goodbye. He said that because of Italy's rotating presidency of the European Union, he has been made the director general of the Middle East to help the crisis areas, and regarding the road map plan, all countries are united and Israel and the Palestinians have accepted it. 

In the domestic and foreign media, Mr. Khatami's letter to Mr. Karroubi regarding the twin bills [= "amendment of the parliament election law" and "explanation of the limits and powers of the president"] has received attention and criticism.

I went to the University of Tehran to deliver a speech at a memorial ceremony for 182 clerics who had been martyred in Iraq by the Ba'athist regime. Mr. Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi also attended as one of the bereaved family members.

Mr. Farooq Ghadumi, the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization's foreign department, came. He gave a report on the situation in Palestine and said that Yasser Arafat is restricted in his office and is not allowed to leave.

In Jerusalem, a meeting between [Mahmoud Abbas] Abu Mazen, [Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority] and [Ariel] Sharon, [Prime Minister of Israel] was held and announced on the eve of the visit of [George] Bush, [US President] to the Middle East, the Israeli military agreed.

Mr. [Issa] Bin Alavi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Oman, came to meet. He said that in Iraq, like other countries in the region, relative democracy can be realized and not more, and he believes...

Mr. [Hossein] Karimi, the head of one of the diagnosis branches of the Supreme Court of the country, came.  He criticized the situation of the judiciary and the illegal actions of the head of the department, distorting the independence of judges and the large number of crimes in the laws.

A report has been received regarding the arrest of Massoud Rajavi [= leader of the People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran] and a group of Mojahedin leaders, which has not been confirmed. American sources have said that Saddam's sons and four former Iraqi leaders have gone to Pakistan via Iran.

Mr. [Khalil] Aghaei, representative of Meshkin Shahramad and while explaining his work history in the construction government in Jihad, requested me to step into the field to resolve the conflicting issues and create consensus. 

127 members of parliament, mostly affiliated with the Second of Khordad movement and the Islamic Iran Participation Front, have written a letter to the Supreme Leader criticizing his policies.

In the meeting of the [Expediency Discernment Council], we solved the problem of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Qom, which was a point of dispute between the Parliament and the Guardian Council.

I was at home. I finished reviewing the memoirs and the 1979 performance report compiled by Mr. [Abbas] Bashiri.
 

The 7.6-magnitude earthquake that struck last night in Boumerdès, Algeria, east of Algiers, caused heavy casualties and extensive damage. As of 2:00 a.m., 800 bodies had been recovered and 5,000 people injured.
 

We had a meeting with the deputies of the Center for Strategic Research [of the Expediency Discernment Council]. Most of the discussions were about the situation in Iraq, the threats from the United States, and the claims regarding the presence of individuals from al-Qaeda in Iran.

I went to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) for the awards ceremony announcing the results of the essay competition on the "Year of Husayni Honor and Dignity." I presented the awards. Messrs. [Ali] Larijani, [the Head of the IRIB], and [Ali-Akbar] Ashari, [the Advisor to the IRIB], gave reports.

I went to the Leader’s office for the Prophet’s birthday celebration. The ceremony was held as every year, and there was no important issue in the remarks of the Leader and the President.

The members [of the board of directors] of the cooperative chamber came.  Mr. [Abul Qassem] Sarhadizadeh, [Chairman of the Board of Directors], [Mohammed Reza] Ramezani, [Secretary General of the Central Cooperation Chamber], [Hadi] Ghonimifard

The Infrastructure Commission [Assembly for the Expediency of the Nizam] had a meeting and there was a discussion about the general arrangement of the land.  The history, definition, ideals and goals were told

[Colin Powell], the US Secretary of State, has been going to different countries for a week to monitor political developments. 

The [United Nations] Security Council has started discussing the new resolution of the United States and England on Iraq since last night.

Yesterday in France and Austria, a widespread and unprecedented strike took place in protest against economic reforms  

A few hours before the arrival of [US Secretary of State] Colin Powell in Saudi Arabia, there were four bomb attacks on American residences in Riyadh at midnight.

Iranian insurance managers came.  Mr. [Syed Mohammad] Abbaszadegan, the head of insurance, reported and said that the judiciary and part of the insurance forces oppose the privatization of insurance. 

I went from home to Hosseinieh Tharullah in the center of Sepah.  In the meeting of officials of the representative of the Supreme Leader in Basij, after listening to the report of Mr. [Haider] Moslehi

In the session of the Assembly [Determining the expediency of the system], the opinion of the Assembly regarding the contract with the Assembly of Asian and African countries to establish an international arbitration center in Iran 

It was announced yesterday that an explosion in one of the American warships in the Persian Gulf has injured 11 of the ship's crew.  No explanation about the cause of the explosion

To participate in the funeral ceremony of the three brothers of Ayatollah [Syed Mahmoud Hashemi] Shahroudi who were martyred in the prisons of Saddam [Hussein]

[Mr. Takekazu Kawamura], the new ambassador of Japan arrived.  We discussed the development of cooperation and the issue of Palestine and the Additional [Protocol] 93+2 of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Mr. [Esmaeil] Davoodi Shamsi, [Head of the Parliamentary Administrative Organization] came. He gave a report on the program for establishing a center to revise laws and to resolve the problems of the Rafsanjan water project.

Mr. [Mahmoud] Vaezi, [Deputy of Strategic Research Center] came.  He had hints and suggestions about America, Iraq and Palestine

Mr. [Mohammed Hossein] Rezaei, the head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage [Organization], came. He reported on the situation of Hajj and Umrah and that due to the closure of Karbala Pilgrimage, the pressure on Umrah has increased. 

Following the announcement of America's agreement with the Mujahideen and its use in suppressing the Iraqi people, widespread criticism of America has begun.

I was at home studying.  At noon, the children were together.  Mohsen and Mehdi said about the implementation method of construction of Mosla and not using the national technical and executive system

American leaders these days are facing many questions for which they have no answers

In the morning, I went from home to [Imam Khomeini] mosque in Tehran;  To visit and check the readiness of Mosla to move the Friday prayer ceremony from Tehran University to there.

Mr. Amir Mir, the former representative of Zahedan and the current Director General [Planning] of the General Inspectorate came.  He had notes about Sistan and Baluchistan

Mr. [Gholamreza] Aghazadeh, [Head of the Atomic Energy Organization] and Dr. [Jamshid] Sabbaghzadeh, [Head of the Center for Laser Science and Technology] came. They said, laser enrichment on a pilot scale.

[Mr. Mohammad Jafari], the head of the Faculty of Natural Resources [Tehran University], came with a group of professors.

In the meeting of the assembly [identification of expediency of the system], the work of the general policies of the communication department was finished

I was at home;  By resting and studying.  It was announced that Tariq Aziz, [Iraq's deputy prime minister] has surrendered to the American forces.

The [UN] Security Council could not reach a decision on Iraq in its meeting yesterday

Today, the eyes of the world's media and political circles are on Karbala.  A huge crowd from all over Iraq has come there for the Arbaeen ceremony 

Yesterday, about 200,000 people protested in Baghdad, and three Shia clerics were arrested by the Americans, who returned to Baghdad after visiting Karbala. 

Messrs. [Abdolhossein] Sabet, head of the [Retirement] Organization, and [Mohammadhossein] Torbati, deputy of the organization, came

[Mr. Wale Christian Holte], the new ambassador of Norway, came and talked about strengthening cooperation.  I also expressed my satisfaction with the start of cooperation between the two countries in the field of oil and gas