Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - September 20, 2001 - Continuing Hashemi's Narratives on the Reactions Following September 11

• Account of Tony Blair's contact with Mohammad Khatami, the former President of Iran.
• Continued narratives from Hashemi regarding the aftermath of September 11.

Full Diary Entry:

Yesterday and last night, it rained heavily in Tehran and some other cities, marking a good start for autumn. I was at the Koushk office. In the evening, I returned home and spent the rest of the night studying and revising the index of the Tafsir-e Rahnama (Guide Commentary) and reviewing reports.

Tony Blair, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, had a long phone conversation with Mr. [Mohammad] Khatami, [the President], while en route to the U.S., discussing the anti-terrorism program. We insist that this program must be approved by the United Nations and conducted under its supervision, and that the U.S. and others do not have such a right. They insist on cooperation with the U.S., while Iran is fundamentally opposed to the attack on Afghanistan, as are many other countries.

Today, the U.S. announced that it has ordered the movement of aircraft and naval ships to the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Oman, and the Persian Gulf, officially stating that it will also target other supporters of terrorism. The situation in Pakistan is very serious. [Pervez] Musharraf, [the President of Pakistan], wants to cooperate with the U.S., but political parties, scholars, and many people oppose this. The Afghan scholars' conference concluded today, and in its statement, they announced that if Mr. bin Laden can voluntarily leave Afghanistan, they would prefer it; but if the U.S. attacks Afghanistan, jihad becomes obligatory for all Muslims. They also urged the U.S. to provide its evidence and engage in negotiations. The U.S. has responded that the time for negotiation has passed; it is now time for action.

In Palestine, the announced ceasefire has been violated, and jihadist groups do not accept it at all. In the U.S. and some Western countries, as well as in Australia, there have been attacks and insults against individuals, mosques, and Islamic centers. In the U.S., so far, three Lebanese Muslims have been killed, and an Indian Sikh was also killed due to his resemblance to Muslims.