Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - November 14, 2000 - Hashemi's Account of the Political and Media Atmosphere Criticizing the Guardian Council After the Rejection of the New Parliament Resolution

Hashemi's Account of the Political and Media Atmosphere Criticizing the Guardian Council After the Rejection of the New Parliament Resolution

The meeting of the Expediency Council and the rejection of the request from the then Chief Justice, who sought full financial and administrative independence for the judiciary from the government and the planning and budget organization. A report by Bijan Namdar Zangeneh, the Minister of Oil, regarding agreements with Japan was presented to the Council.

A periodic political gathering took place on the sidelines of the Council meeting concerning the surrounding issues of the reformist government. Meeting with Mohammad Reza Sabzehali Pour, the project manager for Iran's global trade initiative, included a report on the project and criticism of the government's lack of support.

Full Daily Entry: The Expediency Council had a meeting. Mr. Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, the Chief Justice, called for financial and administrative independence for the judiciary, which was adjusted due to constitutional opposition. Mr. Bijan Namdar Zangeneh, the Minister of Oil, provided a report on agreements with Japan regarding oil issues.

In the afternoon, we had a regular meeting following the Expediency Council session with Mr. Vaez Tabasi, Mohajerani, Jannati, Nategh Nouri, and Dorri Najafabadi. Discussions included the rejection of the Parliament's interpretation by the Guardian Council, the possibility of escalating disputes, potential solutions, as well as upcoming midterm elections and the presidential election. Criticism was directed at the actions of state television and the Kayhan newspaper for exacerbating public distrust in the regime.

Mr. Ahmad Jannati, the Secretary of the Guardian Council, reported that Mr. Mohammad Yazdi, in a meeting of clerics convened by the Society of Teachers in Qom, made explicit and severe attacks on the government and Mr. Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, criticizing their performance and the regression of the country compared to the pre-reform era.

In the evening, Mr. Mohammad Reza Sabzehali Pour, in charge of the Iran Global Trade Center project, came and reported on his efforts to establish the center in Tehran by the private sector. He criticized the Ministry of Commerce for obstructing his efforts and mentioned that a membership fee of one million dollars was paid by a Kuwaiti investor, but the application for establishment was stalled at the planning and budget organization during Mr. Mohammad Ali Najafi's term, and the Minister of Commerce is preventing its approval.

Criticism of the Guardian Council was prevalent today in the media and among leftist meetings, with many leftist figures explicitly attacking the Council in interviews. Foreign Persian media dedicated a significant portion of their programming to this issue. Criticism of President Khatami is also increasing due to the right wing and the hardliners on the left failing to fulfill their promises.