Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - May 16, 2000 - One-on-One Meeting Between Hashemi and Ayatollah Khamenei, Explaining the Reason for Not Shutting Down Bahar Newspaper

A one-on-one meeting between Hashemi and Ayatollah Khamenei, where the reason for not shutting down the Bahar newspaper was merely due to the lack of prior warning. However, shortly afterward, Bahar joined the list of suspended newspapers.

A follow-up meeting with Masih Mohajeri with Hashemi holds highly significant historical points. Besides being a journalist and the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Jomhouri Eslami, he has previously served as the social advisor to the Reformist President. Alongside these official roles, he made significant efforts to encourage Ayatollah Khamenei to shut down the newspapers and later annul the Tehran elections.

Seyyed Sadruddin Shariati, inspector and overseer of the Guardian Council, also held a very important meeting with Hashemi, pushing for the annulment of the Tehran elections.

The numerous and continuous meetings of Ali Larijani regarding the irregularities in the Tehran elections, along with his consultations with Hashemi, are notable. Larijani also mentioned the suspension of Ham-Mihan newspaper, which Ayatollah Khamenei had previously warned Hashemi about, particularly concerning its editor, Mr. Karbaschi, following his release from prison.

Details of the Day:

Mr. Masih Mohajeri, [Editor-in-Chief of Jomhouri Eslami newspaper], came. He criticized part of the recent Friday sermon by the Leader, where he believed that the sermon implied that ideological forces were being associated with backwardness, while anti-ideological individuals were being labeled as progressive. He mentioned that the second Khordad factions were exploiting this and might aim to slow down the serious movement that had begun. He stated that tomorrow, there will be an article in the newspaper highlighting the issues with the Tehran elections.

Mr. [Asghar] Ghaffari, CEO of Refah chain stores, came and provided a report on their expansion; they have reached 57 locations and have become profitable this year, ready to be listed on the stock market. He shared that there has been no support from the President or the government. He recounted a story of Nader Shah and his soldiers, stating that when Nader asked them why they fought so well now but not in the past, they replied that there was no Nader back then.

In the afternoon, I went to the [Hijab Hall] at the Center for the Intellectual Development of Children and Adolescents for the [Award Ceremony for the Winners of the Eighth Lesson from the Quran Contest], where 500,000 students participated. Prizes were awarded to the winners. Mr. [Mohsen] Qara’ati, [Head of the Prayer Committee], gave a welcoming speech and highly praised Tafsir Rahnama. I also delivered an encouraging speech to motivate the youth to engage more with the Quran. Mr. Qara’ati requested 100 sets of Tafsir Rahnama as prizes for seminary students, and I agreed.

Mr. [Seyyed Sadruddin] Shariati, inspector of the Guardian Council, came and reported examples of irregularities in the Tehran elections. Mr. [Abbas] Vaez Tabasi, [Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi], visited, and we discussed the problems with the Tehran elections and the harm of approving the election contrary to the laws.

Mr. Ali Larijani also came and mentioned that he had reviewed the computer results of the recounts, and the elections were not justifiable. He informed me that Mr. [Gholam-Hossein] Karbaschi's newspaper Ham-Mihan had also been suspended, and although Bahar newspaper was supposed to be shut down, Mr. [Seyyed Mahmoud] Hashemi Shahroudi, [Head of the Judiciary], did not agree.

After prayers, I went to see Ayatollah Khamenei. We discussed the elections and the newspapers. He said that Mr. Shahroudi had mentioned this afternoon that since Bahar had not received a prior warning, he had prevented its suspension. I told him that if the Guardian Council annulled some ballot boxes, leading to the elimination of some individuals and my remaining, I would announce that I would not join the parliament.