Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's Memoirs - December 13, 1999 A gathering of students at Tehran University took place in support of Mr. Abdullah Nouri.

A gathering of students took place at Tehran University in support of Mr. Abdullah Nouri.

[Mr. Seyyed Abbas Araqchi], our new ambassador to Finland, came by. He explained the political and economic situation in Finland and asked for my opinion on potential areas for expanding cooperation. [Mr. Ilham Salgiyon], the new ambassador from Uzbekistan, also visited. He understands Persian but cannot speak it. He praised my role in establishing bilateral cooperation and discussed further collaboration for peace in Afghanistan and Tajikistan. I mentioned that, contrary to earlier assumptions by Mr. [Islam] Karimov, [President of Uzbekistan], it is now clear that Iran is not aligned with Islamic extremists and seeks moderation and peace in the region.

Dr. [Abdollah] Jasbi, [President of Islamic Azad University], came to discuss university issues, including parliamentary support for favorable legislation for the university. He also talked about establishing political units and publications across the country, founding the "Free Thinkers Front," participating in the upcoming elections, and assisting the Guardian Council with its supervisory duties.

In the afternoon, Mr. Masih Mohajeri, [Social Advisor to the President and Editor-in-Chief of Jomhuri Eslami newspaper], came to talk about the state of the press and efforts to clean up the media environment. My brother Mohammad, [Executive Deputy of the President], also visited, and we discussed my possible participation in the [Sixth Parliamentary] elections. Mr. Kamal Kharrazi, [Minister of Foreign Affairs], came to report on his trip to Russia, Dagestan, and Ingushetia, particularly regarding the Chechnya issue. He also spoke about the challenges surrounding the case of [Helmut] Hofer, [the German businessman], and the 13 Jews accused of espionage. He mentioned Pakistan’s embassy’s complaint about my Friday prayer sermon, where I referred to the prolonged military rule in Pakistan as a disgrace. I told him they should appreciate the hope for improving the situation in Afghanistan, thanks to cooperation between Iran and Pakistan, which was a result of General [Pervez] Musharraf’s visit to Iran.

In the evening, I hosted my bodyguards and their families for Iftar. After the meal, I gave them a speech filled with moral and Islamic advice. On my way home, I visited Fatemeh at Mehrad Hospital. Dr. [Seyyed Mahmoud] Tabatabaei and Dr. [Javad] Gorji were also present. Today, students at Tehran University held a gathering in support of Mr. Abdullah Nouri, [Editor-in-Chief of Khordad newspaper].