Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's Diary - June 14, 1999Meeting with Mohammad Rajabi Davani and discussion of political and parliamentary proposals that were outside the scope of the Expediency Discernment Council

Meeting with Mohammad Rajabi Davani and discussion of political and parliamentary proposals that were outside the scope of the Expediency Discernment Council.

A meeting with Mohammad Rajabi Davani, Iran's cultural attaché in Germany, who brought forward proposals and remarks, including that the Second of Khordad faction in the Majlis intends to amend the recent law regarding the insurance of workers in small workshops. He suggested that an entity like the Expediency Discernment Council could take action to prevent this, but I stated that it was not within the Council's purview. He also proposed establishing an organization similar to the House of Labor, which is loyal to me, for employees and farmers.

Meeting with Abbasali Vakili, the then-head of the Headquarters for the Affairs of Released Prisoners of War, who requested Hashemi to ask Ayatollah Khamenei to merge the responsibility of the representative of the Supreme Leader and the head of the headquarters and assign it to him following the death of Seyed Ali Akbar Abotrab in a car accident on the road to Mashhad.

A meeting with Abbasali Vakili, the head of the Headquarters for the Affairs of Released Prisoners of War. He was saddened by the death of Seyed Ali Akbar Abotrab, the representative of the Supreme Leader in the affairs of released prisoners of war, and said that unfortunately, he was the driver and it was his fault. His father and himself passed away, and the driver and his companion were injured. He requested that I tell the Supreme Leader to assign the representation of the Supreme Leader in the headquarters to him. He consulted about the work.

Meeting with Taghi Pasandideh, who expressed concern about the fate of Reza Pasandideh and sought Hashemi's assistance.

A meeting with Taghi Pasandideh, the son of the late Seyed Morteza Pasandideh, the brother of Imam Khomeini. He sought help with obtaining housing and spoke about his brother Reza, reminding me that before the victory of the revolution, his father brought me a letter for employment, and I introduced him to Mr. Khanian to work in the gas company. Based on that past experience, and with hope for positive results, he has come to me to resolve his housing issue.

Continuing developments related to the death of Hafez al-Assad and the selection of Bashar al-Assad as the President of Syria.

The issue of the death of Hafez al-Assad, the President of Syria, and his succession is receiving attention, and opposition from the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood and other opponents, mainly abroad, has begun. They will likely oppose Rifaat al-Assad, the exiled brother of Hafez al-Assad. Three days of national mourning have been declared.