Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - July 10, 2000 - Hashemi's Interesting Analysis of Ayatollah Khamenei's Shift on Reform and Acceptance of Conditional Reform Today

Hashemi reflects on Ayatollah Khamenei's shift in stance, moving from a previous rejection of reform and reformists to now conditionally accepting the concept.

Meeting with Hassan Allahverdi-Nejad and His Associates

Hashemi held a meeting with Hassan Allahverdi-Nejad, [Secretary of the Followers of the Guardianship of the Jurist], and two of his associates. They consulted on organizing an exhibition and conference to commemorate the Reconstruction Era. Hashemi noted that for it to be done effectively, all executive institutions would need to cooperate, which he doubted could happen under the current circumstances. They expressed frustration over the halted development projects, particularly the Jajarm alumina plant, the next phase of the Faryab ferrochrome complex, and parts of the Al-Mahdi aluminum complex.

Meeting with City Officials Regarding the Historical Foundation Building

In another meeting, [Morteza] Alviri, [the Mayor of Tehran], [Abdul-Majid] Maadi-Khahi, [President of the Foundation of Islamic Revolution History], [Ali] Moghadass-Zadeh, [Mayor of District 6], [Esmail] Doosti, [Mayor of District 3], and [Mohsen Hashemi] from the Office of the Expediency Council, convened to discuss the issues surrounding the Foundation of History building. They reached an agreement on how to proceed. Mr. Maadi-Khahi also presented his Quranic work titled "The Endless Light" and mentioned that Ayatollah [Hussein Ali] Montazeri’s memoirs had been sent to him for review. He had read them and found them harmful, identifying several serious issues. Ali Hashemi, the son of Haj Mostafa, also visited, requesting a loan; he had recently retired from Jihad-e Sazandegi and was in debt.

Sara Lahouti’s Engagement Ceremony

In the afternoon, I returned home. The engagement ceremony of Sara [daughter of Fati] with Mohammad Lahouti took place. Close family members attended, and Sheikh Mohammad [Hashemian] and I performed the marriage rites. In the evening, a reception was held at the Presidential Club, though neither Sheikh Mohammad nor I attended. Sheikh Mohammad complained about the widespread insecurity in Kerman province and provided a report on the situation there, including details of Mr. [Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi] Shahroudi’s [Head of the Judiciary] trip to the region. Dinner was brought to us from the Club.

Seyyed Mohammad Khatami's Trip to Germany

Mr. [Seyyed Mohammad] Khatami, [the President], traveled to Germany today. Although the German officials warmly welcomed him, the opposition and insults from the opposition groups, 475 parliamentarians, and several human rights organizations had soured the visit.

Political Discussions on Ayatollah Khamenei’s Recent Remarks

In political circles, there has been widespread discussion regarding the Leader’s remarks yesterday. The conservatives are pleased, while the reformists are upset. Some consider the comparison between Iran and the Soviet Union to be inappropriate, especially since we ourselves were pleased with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the revival of Islamic countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Moreover, last year, the Leader had outright rejected reform and reformists, yet this year, he has conditionally accepted the concept.