Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - July 15, 2000 - Family Discussions and Analysis of Ayatollah Khamenei's Recent Remarks on Reforms, the Government, and Seyyed Mohammad Khatami

Family Discussions and Analysis of Ayatollah Khamenei's Recent Remarks on Reforms, the Government, and Seyyed Mohammad Khatami

Continued Attacks from Friday Prayer Leaders on the Reformist Government, Led by Sheikh Mohsen Doagoo, the Imam of Lavasan

Complaints from Ali Hashemi, Member of Parliament for Rafsanjan, Regarding the Parliamentary Situation and Criticism of Sheikh Hossein Hashemiyan, Former Representative of Rafsanjan, Over the Seizure of Confiscated Assets

Studying the Memoirs of Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri, Provided by Sheikh Abdolmajid Ma'adikhah for Consultation

I spent the day at home. I read the book Conspiracy of Domination Over the Clergy in the Pahlavi Regime, Through the Test of Clergy Members. By noon, most of the family had gathered, and discussions revolved around the recent speech by the Leader. In most of today’s Friday prayers, Ayatollah Khamenei’s remarks were well received, and it was clear that his speech was directed at the government and Mr. Khatami [the President] and the reformist claimants. It was emphasized that the flow of information should be under the Leader’s guidance. As usual, the harshest attacks were made by Mr. [Mohsen] Doagoo, the Imam of Friday prayers in Shemiranat.

In the afternoon, my nephew Ali, the representative for Rafsanjan, came and explained the situation in Parliament. There is internal discord among the reformists over the selection of a representative for the Press Supervisory Board. He believes this disagreement clearly shows that the Participation Party's strategy is to oppose the Leader’s policies. He sought assistance for the issues in Rafsanjan, particularly the cooperative of pistachio producers and exporters, which, due to purchasing pistachios at high prices and failing to sell them, is facing serious liquidity problems. He also complained about Sheikh Hossein Hashemiyan, [former representative of Rafsanjan], who has taken control of the income from confiscated properties for the project to transfer water from the Zagros Mountains [Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province] to Rafsanjan and does not allow the city’s current representative to manage these resources. In the past, this income was used by the representative for village development and other needs. Ali said that reformist MPs are upset about the Leader’s recent comments.

The U.S.-Vietnam agreement has drawn media attention. Mr. [Bill] Clinton has delegated the management of the negotiations between [Yasser] Arafat [President of the Palestinian Authority] and [Ehud] Barak [Israeli Prime Minister] to Ms. [Madeleine] Albright [U.S. Secretary of State] and left Camp David to return to Washington to sign the agreement. In Mumbai, India, a landslide has caused a disaster similar to the collapse of the garbage mound in Manila [Philippines], with many casualties.

I spent a considerable amount of time reading the memoirs of Ayatollah [Hossein-Ali] Montazeri, which are being prepared for publication. They were given to me by Mr. [Abdolmajid] Ma'adikhah for consultation, as he believes they are harmful. Some parts seem to justify Montazeri’s position by criticizing the revolution and Imam Khomeini, which could bring satisfaction and misuse by enemies.