Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - November 23, 1999 - Inauguration of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) News Network

Participation in the eighth ceremony of the Basij of clerics and students, and listening to the report by General Hejazi.

Inauguration of the IRIB News Network.

Observing Ayatollah Khamenei's speech and responses to student questions, broadcasted by IRIB.

We went to the University of Tehran for the eighth ceremony of the Basij of clerics and students. A group of distinguished Basij members from across the country was gathered. General [Seyyed Mohammad] Hejazi, [Commander of the Basij Resistance Force], delivered a report. This year, 5,700 Basij students and clerics were recognized as outstanding.

Thirty percent were clerics, while the rest were students; 60% were female, and 40% male. I presented awards to 15 of them and gave an extensive speech about knowledge, religion, education, jihad, and the necessity of combining expertise and commitment. One of them donated their prize (a gold coin) to help the poor.

I worked in my office until the afternoon. At 3:30 PM, I went to IRIB for the inauguration of the News Network. Mr. [Ali] Larijani, [Head of IRIB], gave a report, and I delivered a speech on the importance of rapid, accurate, and comprehensive news dissemination.

After unveiling the plaque, I gave an interview; one question was about participating in the elections, to which I responded that I had not yet made a decision.

At home, I worked on revising the index of the Tafsir Rahnama and wrote in my memoirs while listening to the question-and-answer session with the Supreme Leader at Sharif University.

American media claimed that Iran is supplying its locally produced Scud missiles to Congo, possibly to exert pressure. Iran has denied these claims.

The Jordanian government has deported Hamas leaders who were previously detained to Qatar. The confirmation of the death sentence for [Abdullah] Ocalan, [leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)], by the Turkish Court of Appeals has increased pressure on Turkey to pardon him, while PKK forces have threatened to resume armed conflict if he is executed.

In Indonesia, the push for independence in the Aceh province has become a significant challenge for the new government. The president, by traveling to the United States and adopting conservative positions, aims to gain Western support.