Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's Diaries - 18 Dey 1378 (January 8, 2000)Performing Eid al-Fitr Prayers at Home Performed Eid al-Fitr prayers alone at home.

Performing Eid al-Fitr Prayers at Home

Performed Eid al-Fitr prayers alone at home.

Meeting with the Late Seyed Mahmoud Dowaei and Officials of Ettela'at Institute

Had an Eid visit from the late Seyed Mahmoud Dowaei and managers of the Ettela'at Institute.

Meeting with Hossein Amin

Met with Hossein Amin, who reported on his pistachio orchards in the US and Rafsanjan. Rafsanjani declined to provide more information about this individual, whom he met privately on Eid al-Fitr.

Meeting with Dr. Mohammad Hashemi

Met with Dr. Mohammad Hashemi, then-head of Imam Hossein Hospital, who reported on shortages of facilities.

Meeting with Akbar Safarian

Had a regular meeting with Akbar Safarian, then-CEO of the Cooperative Company of Pistachio Exporters, who reported on market challenges.

Request from Hossein Mor'ashi

Received a request from Hossein Mor'ashi (not to be confused with Engineer Seyed Hossein Mor'ashi), my wife's brother, for assistance in obtaining currency for his grandchild's medical treatment in England.

Daily Activities

Woke up at my usual pre-dawn time without an alarm clock, a habit I'd developed. I'd been waking up with an alarm the previous nights. I offered Eid [al-Fitr] prayers alone at home. At 10:30 am, I went to the Leader's office for the Eid al-Fitr ceremony. I also stopped by my office and gave Eidi (gift money) to the guards and office staff.

Mr. [Seyed Mahmoud] Dowaei, [head of the Ettela'at Institute], along with some managers, came around noon. I had stepped out of the office. I welcomed them at the entrance hall and exchanged greetings. I spent the afternoon and evening at home reading and receiving visits from relatives who came to offer Eid greetings.

Mr. Hossein Amin came. He said he owns about 1,800 hectares of pistachio orchards in America and harvested 1,500 tons of pistachios last year. He also mentioned purchasing a pistachio farm in Damaghan, along the Moalleman Road.

My nephew - Dr. Mohammad [Hashemi] - the head of Imam Hossein Hospital, spoke about the hospital's difficulties, including financial constraints, shortages of medical equipment and drugs, and staff salaries. Akbar Safarian, [CEO of the Cooperative Company of Pistachio Exporters], spoke about the challenges of selling pistachios in foreign markets due to competition from American pistachios. Hossein Aqa Mor'ashi, my wife's brother, spoke about the difficulty of obtaining currency for his grandchild's treatment in England.

International News

Russia announced a temporary halt to the war in Chechnya for Orthodox Christmas and Eid al-Fitr for Muslims, providing a window for people trapped in cities to escape. They also reshuffled several high-ranking military officials. Chechen forces announced that they had retaken the strategic city of Argun.

The escape of a 17-year-old Karma from Tibet, who walked for six days through the Himalayan mountains in the snow to reach India, has revived memories of the Dalai Lama's [the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader] escape in 1980. It has received widespread media coverage around the world. He is a third-ranking leader and a Buddhist monk. The case of Elian Gonzalez, a six-year-old Cuban child who was rescued from the sea off the coast of the US a few days ago, has caused a political earthquake in Cuba and the US.