Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's Diary - [Date not specified, likely around the same period as the previous entries, May 1999] Gholamreza Foruzesh's Report on a Meeting with Seyed Mohammad Khatami

Gholamreza Foruzesh's Report on a Meeting with Seyed Mohammad Khatami

Ali Larijani's visit, continuing his political consultations, and the claim of Seyed Mohammad Khatami's possible feigning of illness!!!

Abbas Akhoundi's visit and development proposals.

Finally, after necessary coordination, background, and consultations, Hashemi's phone call to Seyed Mohammad Khatami and expressing concern for him.

Fatemeh Hashemi's consultation with her father regarding the agreement with Italy.

Mr. [Gholamreza] Foruzesh, [member of the Tehran City Council], came. He gave a report on his meeting and discussions with [Mr. Seyed Mohammad Khatami], the President. He said he criticized the President's performance, and the President said he accepts 99.5% of the criticisms; such as why he doesn't pay attention to construction and the country's economic issues?

Why has he entered the Leader's private sphere in cultural matters, leading to these problems? Why has he advocated for administrative reform and the merging of ministries and organizations without implementing it, and destabilizing them?

Why have his friends, with their inappropriate behavior towards Mr. Hashemi, lost a strategic friend? Why has he given so much space to harmful newspapers? And so on. Finally, the President said that he has done his best and cannot do more.

Mr. Ali Larijani, [Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB)], came. He had some points to raise regarding the press and the Tehran elections. My brother Mohammad, [Vice President for Executive Affairs], came. He gave a report on land use planning, which was discussed at today's cabinet meeting.

Mr. Larijani believes that Mr. Khatami's claim of nervous exhaustion is a feigned illness and said that after this tense cabinet meeting, the talk of Mr. [Ataollah] Mohajerani, [Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance], stepping down has become serious, and he believes that Mr. Khatami does not have the capacity for overall management.

Mr. Abbas Akhoundi, [former Deputy Head of IRIB], came. He said that some political circles abroad believe that Iran has the potential to become a model for Islamic societies in terms of the compatibility of religion and democracy. He suggested that a party with economic goals be formed to organize the country's economic affairs, which would be less involved in difficult cultural and political issues.

I called Mr. Khatami, the President, and inquired about his health. He said he has suffered from nervous exhaustion and is scheduled to have a heart test today. Fati, [Head of the Rare Diseases Foundation], came. She consulted about signing an agreement with the Italians for the treatment of some patients;

I told her to consult with a legal advisor; she is going to Italy. In Egypt, there have been demonstrations by Islamic students over a book called "Haydar Haydar", which they consider insulting to Islam, and they have clashed with the police.