Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - July 2, 2000 - Meeting with Amir Tehrani and Ali Bagheri, Deputy Ministers of Intelligence, and Their Complaints about Sheikh Abbasali Alizadeh, Head of Tehran Judiciary

The directors of the General Sports Federation visited. Mr. Emami, the president of the federation, gave a report and expressed gratitude for the initiatives during the Reconstruction era that formalized the federation and made it official. He asked for further support. I spoke about the importance of sports, the emphasis Islam places on sports for ensuring both physical and spiritual well-being in this world and the hereafter, and the necessity of expanding public sports alongside professional athletics, with special attention to women’s sports.

Mr. [Amir] Tehrani and Mr. [Ali] Bagheri, Deputy Ministers of Intelligence, visited. Mr. Bagheri criticized the actions of the Judiciary, especially those of Mr. [Abbasali] Alizadeh, the Head of the Tehran Judiciary, for recent actions related to the handling of media and arrests, which were taken without coordination with the Ministry of Intelligence. They consulted on efforts to promote national unity and discussed effective strategies. He also reported on the condition of Sheikh Ali Tehrani, who, after medical treatment, was sent back to prison but continues his hunger strike. He attempted suicide twice, once by consuming a large amount of sedatives and once by driving a nail into his chest. Bagheri mentioned that a person named Abbasi, a like-minded associate of his outside of Iran, in coordination with his son, wife, and daughters, is inciting him to put pressure on Ayatollah Khamenei. They claim that I am opposed to his release, but Bagheri suggested that if the Leader agrees, it might be better to release him.

In the afternoon, Mr. Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the representative from Boroujerd, came. He described the current state of Parliament as favorable and sought advice on organizing influential forces. I suggested they focus on addressing the economic challenges facing the people and the country. Mohsen [Hashemi, Head of the Office for the Publication of Islamic Revolution Studies] provided details about the plans for the Research Center of the Office for the Publication of Islamic Revolution Studies, located in the Koush Research Town in Karaj.