Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's Memoirs - October 17, 1999 The meeting with Nelson Mandela was noteworthy, especially his expression of gratitude for the assistance provided by the Islamic Republic, particularly during his most recent visit.

The meeting with Nelson Mandela was particularly interesting, especially his gratitude for the assistance provided by the Islamic Republic, particularly during his last visit. His mediation regarding the Jewish detainees in Shiraz was thought-provoking, as was the manner of his return from Iran.

In another meeting, Mohammad Hassan Ghadiri Abyaneh came to consult about running in the Sixth Parliamentary elections.

Mehdi Safari, our ambassador to Moscow, reported on efforts to appease Ayatollah Safi Golpayegani regarding diplomatic issues.

Mohsen Nourbakhsh and Mohammad Hashemi also met with me to discuss the application of Article 25 of the Law on the Amendment of Certain Justice Laws (mistakenly referred to as Article 25 of the Islamic Penal Code in the memoirs), which was ruled by the Tehran Court of Appeals, presided over by Judge Nasseh. This ruling resulted in a reduction of the sentence for Gholamhossein Karbaschi, but despite this reduction, a subsequent request for further leniency—made by Sheikh Abbasali Alizadeh, the then-Head of the Tehran Judiciary—was rejected by the Supreme Court under Article 18 of the Law on the Formation of General and Revolutionary Courts (now Article 477 of the Criminal Procedure Code). This involvement of high-ranking officials in the judiciary is further detailed in my later memoirs.

A group of directors, teachers, and students from the Roshanegar schools came by. They reported on the school's history and current status, mentioning that they have around 700 female students. I spoke about the revolution's commitment to girls' education and the efforts before the revolution to establish schools like Alavi and Refah for girls. I also praised Roshanegar for creating a proper educational environment for girls, especially considering the Shah’s policies that sought to divert them, and encouraged them to continue their pioneering efforts in providing quality education for Muslim girls.

Mr. [Nelson] Mandela, the former President of South Africa, also visited. He expressed gratitude for the support of the Iranian revolution toward the anti-apartheid movement and thanked me personally for my attention both before and after the revolution, especially for the assistance he and his companions received during their last visit to Iran.

He mentioned that international observers recognize me as the initiator of détente and consider me a strong supporter of this policy. He expressed concern about unemployment and the lack of security in his country, though he noted that the situation was improving. He also said he was satisfied with Mr. [Thabo] Mbeki, his successor as president.

I asked how he spends his time now. He humorously replied, "I place my hand on my head and think about the country’s affairs!" He also mentioned that he had discussed the case of the 13 Jews accused of espionage with the Iranian president and had been told that there was no evidence of espionage yet, only allegations under investigation.

Mandela said he plans to raise the issue of the five missing Iranians in Lebanon, believed to be in Israel, during his visit to Israel. He had originally planned to travel directly from Iran to Israel but postponed his visit to Syria at our request to avoid going straight to Israel from Iran.

In the afternoon, Mr. [Mohammad Hassan] Ghadiri Abyaneh came by. He mentioned that he had resigned from his position as Director of Public Relations in the government and planned to run for Parliament from Natanz and Badroud. He also commented on the poor state of the government’s communication and public relations, noting that there were no interviews, speeches, or explanations like those during my time in office. He said that while public opinion of Mr. Khatami personally remained positive, the general perception of the government was not good, and the results of a public opinion poll during the Government Week were unpublishable.

Mr. [Mehdi] Safari, our ambassador to Russia, also visited. He was critical of the Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s comments on Russia and Chechnya, noting that he had worked hard to mitigate the damage, but the situation was still problematic. He said the ministry’s actions were influenced by a letter from Mr. Lotfollah Safi [Golpayegani], and today they sent him to Qom to persuade Ayatollah Safi. He also mentioned that the government is failing to make full use of Russia's potential, and Mr. [Mohammad Ali] Abtahi, [the President's Chief of Staff], was not granting him a meeting with Mr. Khatami.

Mr. [Mohsen] Nourbakhsh and my brother Mohammad also came. They said that Judge [Abdolali] Nasseh, the [Court of Appeals] judge, had issued a new ruling for Mr. [Gholamhossein] Karbaschi based on Article 25 [of the Law on the Amendment of Certain Justice Laws], reducing his sentence to four months in prison and one year of suspension from public office. Mr. Karbaschi should now be released, but they were concerned that the Leader or the head of the judiciary might intervene to prevent his release.

They asked me to help ensure that the new ruling is implemented. I told Mr. Nourbakhsh, [Governor of the Central Bank], to release the funds needed for Tehran’s metro and the currency required by the IRGC Air Force, and he agreed.