Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - January 17, 2000 - Heavy Russian Casualties in Chechnya, Iran vs. USA Football Draw, and Increased Appeals from Disqualified Candidates

The results of the Iran-USA football match, the ongoing appeals of disqualified candidates for the Sixth Parliamentary Elections, and the participation in the funeral procession for recently discovered martyrs from Shalamcheh to Mashhad.

Mustafa Hashemi Taba's report on world museums' collections of Iranian artifacts prepared by the Iran Touring and Tourism Organization.

Last night and today, we had more snow. In Indonesia, there is talk of a military coup against the government, citing its weak response in troubled regions. The U.S. government has officially expressed concern and offered support for President Abdurrahman Wahid.

The Taliban have recognized Chechen independence, while Russia is discussing changing its military strategy. In Russia, the mothers of Russian soldiers involved in the war have started opposing the government's military policy, claiming that over 3,000 soldiers have been killed and more than 6,000 injured. They are accusing the government of hiding the truth from the public, and it seems this could mark the beginning of internal pressure on the Russian government.

The Iran vs. USA football match in America ended in a 1-1 draw. Iran now has one loss, one win, and one draw in three matches. The turnout of Iranian spectators at the stadium was impressive; over 90% of the 50,000 attendees were Iranian, leading to the event being dubbed "football diplomacy."

There has been an increase in appeals from disqualified parliamentary candidates seeking to resolve their issues. I attended the funeral procession for martyrs in front of Parliament. A search team recently found 450 bodies of missing soldiers, which are being taken from Shalamcheh to Mashhad. Four caravans have been formed, passing through 100 cities, where they are being met with enthusiastic public reception. In Tehran, too, a large crowd gathered.

In the past few days, this event has filled the country with the memory of the martyrs, and the state media has done well in promoting and broadcasting the solemn event. Some believe this movement is aimed at overshadowing election goals. Both the Supreme Leader and the President attended.

In the afternoon, Mr. Mustafa Hashemi Taba, [Head of the Physical Education Organization], and Mr. Rezaeian visited. They brought seven films they had made in museums worldwide, documenting Iran's cultural heritage from the Achaemenid era to the present day. The budget for this project was secured with my assistance, and Yasser helped follow up with the Iran Touring and Tourism Organization. Mr. Nasser Noori also came with some research proposals.