Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - July 12, 2000 - Meeting with Sheikh Ahmad Shafi’i and Amir Tehrani, then Deputy Ministers of Intelligence, and a Report on the Anniversary Incident of the University Dormitory and the Famous Tape Makers Case

Meeting with Gholamreza Aghazadeh, then Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, who provided a report on the organization’s significant activities. He expressed dissatisfaction with recent remarks by Ayatollah Khamenei during a meeting with officials, claiming they diminished the stature of President Mohammad Khatami. Similarly, Mohammad Hashemi, then Executive Deputy of the President, shared the same interpretation during this meeting.

Meeting with Ali Karimi-Qoddousi, then Deputy Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi.

Sheikh Ahmad Shafi’i and Amir Tehrani, both Deputy Ministers of Intelligence, provided a report on the anniversary incident at the university dormitory, the infamous tape makers case, and the issues related to the group led by Heshmatollah Tabarzadi. They also discussed the internal crisis within the Intelligence Ministry. A meeting with Ayatollah Sheikh Ali Meshkini, temporarily residing in a confiscated property in Elahiyeh, Tehran, which, according to Hashemi, was authorized by the original owner and the Revolutionary Court. Seyyed Ali Akbar Ojaghnejad, then representative of Ayatollah Khamenei in Azerbaijan, was also present.

The media, both domestic and foreign, focused on the outcome of the military court in Tehran, where Branch 7 of the Tehran Military Court acquitted Commander Farhad Nazari, then head of the Tehran police during the university dormitory raid. Nazari and 19 officers faced charges related to illegal entry into the dormitory, disobeying a superior's orders, and creating distrust towards the police. After 15 court sessions, Nazari was acquitted, leading him later to file a complaint against President Mohammad Khatami with the Article 90 Commission of the Constitution. Other accused officers were also acquitted of assault and destruction, except for two individuals: Farhad Arjmandi, who was sentenced to two years in prison for disobeying orders, and Arouj Ali Bararzadeh, a conscript who was later promoted in the police force, sentenced to 91 days in prison and fined 100,000 tomans for stealing an electric shaver.

The court also ruled that compensation for 34 injured students should be paid from public funds, but its final outcome remains unclear, and lawyer Mohsen Rahami, representing the students, should provide updates. The civil claims of the plaintiffs were dismissed for being filed too late.

Coincidentally, the court's decision was issued three days after the anniversary of the university dormitory incident. Notably, Farhad Nazari attended the final court session in full uniform, despite having attended previous sessions in civilian clothing, suggesting he may have been aware of the verdict in advance.

Full Entry:

Mr. [Gholamreza] Aghazadeh [Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran] came and provided a report on the progress of significant projects in his organization. He criticized the recent speech by the leadership in a gathering of officials, interpreting it as a slight to Mr. Khatami [the President], and a praise of the leadership. My brother Mohammad also said that the Leader's comments are being interpreted as criticism of Mr. Khatami and his supporters.

Mr. [Ali] Karimi-Qoddousi, Deputy Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi, came and provided a report on the construction projects of Astan Quds and expressed gratitude for the assistance in unlocking Astan Quds' claims from the government and supporting its projects, which have made these developments possible. Without them, the shrine's income would have barely covered operational expenses. He invited me to visit Mashhad.

In the afternoon, Mr. [Ahmad] Shafi'i and Mr. [Amir] Tehrani from [the Ministry of] Intelligence came and reported on the recent unrest in front of Tehran University [on the anniversary of the July 9, 1999 incident at the university dormitory], as well as the case of the tape makers and the group of [Heshmatollah] Tabarzadi. They said the morale of the Intelligence staff had improved, and they were emerging from the crisis. They sought assistance for greater coordination with the Judiciary. I conveyed the Leader's instructions regarding the follow-up on the murder cases; they were unaware of them.

In the early evening, we visited Ayatollah [Ali] Meshkini, Imam of Friday prayers in Qom. He usually spends summers in Tehran, residing in a garden in Elahiyeh [a northern Tehran neighborhood], with the consent of the original owner and permission from the Revolutionary Court. His son-in-law, [Seyyed Ali Akbar Ojaghnejad, representative of the Supreme Leader in Azerbaijan], provided a report on the situation of Azerbaijani students studying in Qom, who return after completing part of their studies. With my help, this work had begun. Ayatollah Meshkini is working on completing a new translation of the Quran.

There have been intense media attacks, both domestic and foreign, against the court ruling on the university dormitory incident, where the majority of the accused were acquitted. Leftist and liberal groups have issued statements against the Judiciary, describing the verdict as a reward for the defendants. The issues related to Mr. Khatami's trip to Germany have also received widespread attention, both positive and negative.