Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's Diary - 22 Farvardin 1379 Factional differences are intensifying day by day.

Factional differences are intensifying day by day.

*   Mohammad Baqer Nobakht's consultative meeting to form a group of independent representatives.

*   Ezzatollah Akbar's meeting with Hashemi and request for a job. Akbar is a representative of Tehran in the current revolutionary parliament.

*   Meeting with the Iranian ambassador to Yerevan and political analysis.

*   Discussions with Seyed Mohammad Gharazi and political gatherings and consultations with Hashemi.

*   Continued media controversies between the Second of Khordad and the principlists, and the controversy surrounding the arrest of Masha Allah Shams al-Va'eẓin.

Factional differences are intensifying day by day/Some newspapers have begun to directly attack Mr. Khatami.

Mr. [Mohammad Baqer] Nobakht, the representative of Rasht, came and consulted about forming a group of independents in the 6th parliament. Mr. [Ezzatollah] Akbari, the representative of Qaemshahr, came; he did not win in the 6th parliamentary elections and requested a job after his term as a representative.

[Mr. Mohammad Farhad Kalini], our ambassador to Armenia, came. He presented an analysis of the geopolitical importance of the Caucasus region and its top priority in American and Soviet policy and the possibilities for our effective presence there. He said that during your presidency, there was a sensible policy in attracting neighboring countries, and today our situation on the western, northern, and southeastern borders is not good. In the south, American forces are also stationed; we are practically surrounded. Engineer [Seyed Mohammad] Gharazi came. The conversation was political and about the current situation of the country.

Left-wing newspapers are agitated due to the pressure resulting from the summons and arrest of some journalists, the Majlis Expediency Discernment Council's resolution to deprive the parliament of the right to investigate and inspect institutions under the supervision of the Leader, the problem of Mr. [Ahmad] Hakimi Pour, [a representative of Tehran City Council], the disgrace in the [Berlin] conference, the news of the press bill in the parliament, and the harsh statements of the Ministry of Interior and the Guardian Council against each other. It seems that factional differences are intensifying day by day. Some newspapers have also begun to directly attack Mr. [Seyed Mohammad] Khatami, [the president]. Liberals are also talking about separating themselves from them. Several people have said this at the Berlin conference, and [the Persian section of] BBC has broadcast it.

In the afternoon, I had a two-hour interview with a group of researchers and university professors [members of the group drafting Islamic ethics and beliefs courses for universities across the country and representatives of the Leader's office at universities] about the pathology of the revolution; I had previously had two other interviews with them about the causative and continuous factors of the revolution.

Journalists have announced that tomorrow, in the Asr-e Azadegan newspaper, they will protest to show support for Mr. [Masha Allah] Shams al-Va'eẓin, [the editor-in-chief of the closed newspaper Neshat] who has been arrested and sentenced to two and a half years in prison. Left-wing newspapers are putting a lot of pressure on Mr. [Mohammad Taghi] Mesbah Yazdi and the statement of the Society of Seminary Teachers [of Qom].