Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - November 1, 2000 - Trial and Death Sentence of Hassan Yousafi Ashghori

Meeting with the directors of the Statistical Center of Iran along with Abbasali Zali.

Follow-ups regarding the Assembly of Experts for allocating a budget for establishing provincial offices similar to the Guardian Council offices, which were postponed and ultimately did not receive executive approval. Complaints were raised by Sheikh Ali Mashkini and Sheikh Ebrahim Amini, members of the Assembly of Experts who are also part of the Society of Teachers of Qom Seminary, regarding the state of the country.

Meeting with Maurice Mo'tamed, the representative of the Jewish community in the Sixth Majlis, highlighting notable points discussed during this meeting.

The most significant meeting of the day was the private audience with Ayatollah Khamenei.

Continuing the developments surrounding Seyyed Kamal Kharrazi's trip to Iraq.

Trial and death sentence of Hassan Yousafi Ashghori.

It seems that the original writings of Mr. Hashemi lack sufficient accuracy, or the publisher did not pay attention during editing. The statement “according to the Imam and the Leader, he is not considered an apostate” is incorrect. Rather, Ayatollah Khamenei's views regarding the consequences and death sentence of Hassan Yousafi Ashghori were contrary to the opinions of Ayatollah Khomeini, and this was communicated to Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje'i, the Special Prosecutor of the Clergy. He also raised objections against the ruling of Judge Sheikh Mohammad Salimi, publicly discussing the matter.

Ayatollah Khamenei's remarks relayed by Seyyed Mohammad Khatami express satisfaction with the Leader's view on holding a referendum concerning Palestine.

Hashemi's account of an explosion at an army ammunition depot near Torbat Heydarieh.

Full Entry of the Day:

Directors from the Statistical Center arrived. Dr. Abbasali Zali, the head of the Statistical Center of Iran, reported on the weakness of statistical culture and the lack of cooperation from organizations and the public. He called for strengthening the work of the center. I emphasized the necessity and importance of accurate statistics in the country, the lack of comprehensive and precise data in Iran, and the absence of a vast database and reliable information network.

The Board of Experts held a session. The proposed budget for the coming year was discussed. It was suggested that a budget be allocated for 28 offices of the Assembly of Experts across 28 provinces; however, this was opposed, and it was decided to defer to the approval of the Majlis regarding the establishment of the offices. It was also agreed that the negotiations from previous years, which have been published, should be provided to the representatives. Mr. Ali Mashkini and Mr. Ebrahim Amini, who are part of the Society of Teachers of Qom Seminary, expressed concerns about the state of the country and mentioned that the issue of the upcoming presidential election is still unresolved.

In the afternoon, Mr. Maurice Mo'tamed, the representative of the Iranian Jews in the Majlis, came along with a leader from the Jewish community in Iran. He noted that after the revolution, a portion of Jews left Iran, and about 30,000 remain. He mentioned that approximately 5,000 more had left due to the trial of individuals accused of espionage in Shiraz. Recently, following the outbreak of the Intifada and the continuous reports of Israel’s oppression against Palestinians, Iranian Jews feel insecure, with three incidents of attacks against them recently reported. They requested that I state in Friday prayers that the Jewish community of Iran opposes the aggression against Palestine and has never supported the establishment of Israel, urging that their stance should be distinguished from that of the Zionists. Mr. Mo'tamed mentioned that during a trip to the U.S. with Mr. Mehdi Karroubi, it resulted in Iranian Jews not participating in demonstrations against Mr. Khatami, and he recalled the participation of Iranian Jews during the defense in the imposed war.

I was a guest of the Leader in the evening. We discussed Mr. Kharrazi's trip to Iraq, the Intifada, the trial of Hassan Yousafi Ashghori, and overseeing the implementation of general policies and elections. According to the views of the Imam and the Leader, Ashghori is not considered an apostate, and if he is not designated as a fighter or a corrupt person, he does not deserve the death penalty. They stated that Mr. Khatami expressed happiness about their remarks during a meeting with Basij members, suggesting that a referendum should be held regarding Palestine. They believe that this opinion represents a retreat from the notion of eliminating Israel, clarifying that this approach indeed leads to such a conclusion. Today, an explosion at an ammunition depot in an army barracks on the way to Mashhad from Torbat Heydarieh caused panic in the region, leading to road closures and the evacuation of villages.