Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - March 15, 2001 - Notification to Hassan Khomeini about Mohammad Khatami's Candidacy

The final editing of the interview with Sadegh Zibakalam continued, along with the ongoing discussions regarding the statements made by Seyed Mohammad Khatami.

The transfer of the Parliament to the new building in Baharestan took place, and Hashemi did not attend the inauguration. Over 100 representatives opposed this relocation.

The Tehran judiciary issued a statement regarding the suspension of the magazine "Havayeh" and responded to the presidency.

Hassan Khomeini was informed about Seyed Mohammad Khatami's candidacy.

Complete Entry:

I stayed at home and felt a bit feverish. The entire day was spent studying. Iftah and the children had gone to Mohsen’s pistachio garden in Saveh and did not return for lunch. Editing the interview with Mr. Sadegh Zibakalam and the introduction to the book “Imam Ali (AS) in the Words of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani” took a significant amount of time. Foreign media are closely following Mr. Khatami’s trip to Russia and potential agreements, and it is evident that the West has exerted pressure on Russia not to grant concessions to Iran. They continue to analyze Khatami’s speech in Parliament. Radio America quoted opposition leaders saying that if Ayatollah Khamenei had made this speech, it would have been appropriate; they insinuated that Khatami spoke on behalf of the leadership and criticized the failure to meet the people's demands.

Yesterday, the Parliament was moved to the new building in Baharestan, and there was a ceremony I could not attend. Over 100 representatives expressed their opposition, suggesting that this action was a response to public opinion, which perceives the costs of the new building as excessive and blames the previous Parliament for it.

President George W. Bush extended the sanctions against Iran in a letter to Congress, citing Iran's attempts to acquire weapons of mass destruction and its opposition to peace in the Middle East—reiterating the same old claims.

Astronauts aboard the Discovery shuttle set a new record for spacewalks yesterday, achieving eight hours and 53 minutes of activity, exceeding the previous record by approximately 50 minutes. It was announced that they have gained control over the speed of light with new technology.

Foreign media have been extensively reporting on the numerous disruptions during the Chaharshanbe Suri celebrations in Iran, portraying it as mockery of the regime; to some extent, this is accurate. It was announced that ten individuals associated with the National Religious front have recently been released. The Tehran judiciary responded to President Khatami's remarks in Parliament, where he opposed the suspension of Havayeh magazine, stating that Mr. Mohammad Ali Sedoughi, the legal and parliamentary deputy of the president, had been pursuing penalties against the publication. Today, the public relations office of the presidency announced that Mr. Sedoughi had merely informed the head of the judiciary about the offensive content of the article and had not requested its suspension.

Hassan Khomeini came to invite me to the memorial ceremony for Hojjat Ahmad Khomeini. He expressed that, despite doubts, Mr. Khatami would run for candidacy, as his associates would not allow their position to be lost with his departure. He said he would tell his friends to discuss with the leadership to resolve work-related issues.