Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - March 13, 2000 - Meeting with Allied Group Leaders and Analyses on the Assassination Attempt of Saeed Hajjarian

Meeting with the deputies of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Council and future consultations.

Meeting with the allied group leaders and analyses on the assassination attempt of Saeed Hajjarian.

Mortar attack on the Tharallah Base.

Earlier today, I had a meeting with the deputies of the Strategic Research Center. We discussed the current situation and the future programs of the center, focusing largely on political, security, and economic conditions. Topics included the assassination attempt on Saeed Hajjarian and the incidents in Gachsaran. There were discussions about potential remedies for these issues. It was noted that during the time between when the bullet hit and when he reached the hospital, there were a few minutes when oxygen didn’t reach his brain, causing damage. This remains the critical concern.

In the afternoon, the leaders of groups such as the Motalefeh Party, the Devotees of the Revolution, the Islamic Association of Physicians, and the Islamic Engineers Society came to meet. They proposed measures to prevent further division and to foster unity among the loyal forces of the revolution. They requested that I take the lead in this effort. There were also suggestions regarding the upcoming parliamentary session and the Speaker of the Parliament. I didn’t give a definitive answer but mentioned that I would assist in some capacity. Some of the attendees had visited Saeed Hajjarian in the hospital and noted that while visiting him, some of the leftists told them that "they are the ones who carry out the assassination and also visit him afterward." Two Iranian doctors residing in the U.S. had come to treat Mr. Hajjarian.

Later this afternoon, the Mujahideen fired five mortar shells at the Tharallah Base, located northwest of Vanak Square. Some of the shells hit residential areas and streets outside the base, injuring several people and damaging a few cars. They announced that their target was [Commander Rahim Safavi] of the IRGC.

The recent statements made by Pope John Paul II, apologizing for the misconduct of the Church [sexual abuse by priests] over the past two thousand years, have surprised observers and embarrassed Church circles. This apology seems to be primarily aimed at the Church's treatment of Jews, which appears to have political motivations.