Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - February 15, 2000 Meeting with Abdullah Jasbi and Ali Larijani regarding election consultations and mechanization of elections

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Abdullah Jasbi and Ali Larijani met to continue discussions from yesterday's notes regarding election consultations and the mechanization of elections. Late at night, Sheikh Mohammad-Reza Abasi-Fard informed Hashemi that the Guardian Council opposed this and was preparing a final statement.

A meeting was held with the managers of a watch manufacturing factory related to the Affairs of Freed Prisoners Headquarters, which aimed for national production but apparently did not reach final production or branding and was unsuccessful.

A meeting with officials from the Talieh Cultural Institute took place.

There was a periodic meeting with two of the then-deputies of the Ministry of Intelligence, focusing on the interrogations of suspects in the chain murders and suggesting Hashemi's intervention.

Ultimately, the Guardian Council opposed the computerization of elections, which would anger the Ministry of Interior.

Dr. Abdullah Jasbi and Dr. Ali Larijani came. They stated that after reviewing all technical and executive aspects of mechanizing vote counting, they opposed it and lacked confidence in its accuracy. Mr. Larijani brought the results of the latest opinion poll; my approval rating remains at the top.

A group of freed prisoners who own a watch factory came to present their work samples and requested recommendations to banks and organizations to include them among their prizes. Mr. Ahmad-Reza Kashiri and his colleagues came and presented samples of works published by the Talieh Institute, including several volumes of my Friday sermon books.

In the afternoon, Mr. Amir Tehrani and Baqeri, deputies from the Ministry of Intelligence, expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of serious follow-up on the views of the second group regarding the murders and the remaining cases in the hands of the initial interrogators. They requested that we remind Mr. Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, the President, and Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, the head of the judiciary, to act more actively.

Representatives from Islamic associations in offices and factories came. Mr. Kazem Najafi-Alami reported, and I spoke about the services and duties of the associations.

Mr. Mohammad-Hassan Tolaei, head of the Supervisory Board for Elections in Tehran Province, came to seek opinions on the final decision regarding the computerization of elections. I expressed that there is doubt about its benefits. Early in the evening, Mr. Mohammad-Reza Abasi-Fard, a member of the Guardian Council, came and said that in today’s afternoon meeting, they ultimately opposed computerization, and a statement from the Guardian Council would be published tonight.

At 9 PM, the Guardian Council's opposition was published, which would provoke anger from the Ministry of Interior; they were extremely insistent. This insistence had increased doubts. A group from the leftist faction and nationalists disrupted a gathering of the Construction Workers Party. They were upset about yesterday's interview with their leaders.

⭕️ [Bill Clinton], President of the United States, has once again announced readiness to cooperate with Iran on Middle Eastern issues and has supported Iranian reformists, which will not be in their favor.

⭕️ [Ehud Barak], Prime Minister of Israel, announced that they would withdraw from southern Lebanon by summer, although they did not reach an agreement with Lebanon. It seems that a majority of Israelis also support leaving Lebanon. In Indonesia, [Abdurrahman Wahid], the President, dismissed General Wiranto, and it was announced that the army also supports this decision. The European Union has decided that they can deploy rapid intervention military forces to other areas without cooperation from America.