Memories of Akbar Hashemi - October 2, 2000 - Continued Controversies Related to Reformists According to Hashemi, This Time Featuring Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi's Letter to the Sixth Majlis Criticizing Its Performance

• Meeting with Farajollah Selahshoor, Film Director, Requesting Financial Assistance
• Meeting with Abdulhamid Bagheri Benabi, Requesting Permission to Import Foreign Tea and Reporting on the Religious Seminary in Benab
• Consultative Meeting with Members of the Defense-Security Committee of the Supreme National Security Council
• Meeting with Amir Tehrani and Moein, Deputy Ministers of Information, Discussing the Interrogation of Suspects in the Serial Killings, which Hashemi Described as Disturbing

Full Text of the Daily Note:

Mr. [Farajollah] Selahshoor, the director of the series "Companions of the Cave," came by. He presented a report on his Islamic artistic works, stating he has been involved in this field since before the revolution, and mentioned plans for creating films and theater productions based on Quranic stories and concepts. He sought financial assistance.

Mr. [Abdulhamid] Bagheri Benabi, a former representative from Tabriz, visited to explain the religious seminary project he is building with his brother in Benab, covering 100,000 square meters of land and a 22,000 square meter building. They acquired the land during the Reconstruction Era from the Ministry of Housing. With some financial aid from me and other government officials, they have constructed a significant portion. He presented a video and proposed that permission be granted to import foreign tea.

Members of the Defense-Security Committee of the Supreme National Security Council came to seek my opinions on past and current matters. I explained that in the two Reconstruction programs after the war, my policy was to strengthen the country economically, industrially, scientifically, and defensively. De-escalation has been a necessary precursor to these goals, and exporting engineering services to engage with the Third World has been another constructive aspect of our outreach, along with exporting specialized human resources made possible by the development of universities. The passage of gas, oil, electricity, and telecommunications lines through Iran is also significant. We discussed various issues related to the war, and the conversation was postponed to the next session.

In the afternoon, Mr. [Amir] Tehrani and Moein from the Ministry of Information presented some interrogation footage of the suspects in the serial killings, which I found disturbing. There was ongoing discussion about the strategy of "active calm," which the reformists have announced as their approach, while hardliners argue for "active struggle," viewing President [Seyyed Mohammad] Khatami's actions as passive and indicative of a lack of will. Government officials do not accept either position, claiming that the conflict between them exacerbates tensions. Ayatollah [Nasser] Makarem Shirazi's letter to the Majlis criticizing its performance has garnered attention. The conflicts in Palestine continue.