Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - November 25, 1999 - Ministry of Intelligence Statement on the Mahdaviyat Group

The Ministry of Intelligence has released a statement regarding the Mahdaviyat group, which, as noted in previous memoirs, was accompanied by revisions and updates to the initial report. This time, the report also includes the group's alleged plans to assassinate both President Mohammad Khatami and Mohammad Yazdi, which surprised Hashemi.

The Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) claimed responsibility for bombings in several locations across Iran as retaliation for the explosion at their base in Iraq—a matter mentioned in Hashemi's previous memoirs in meetings with then-Deputy Ministers of Intelligence.

In the morning and afternoon, I took a walk along the beach. The children went to visit Namak Abrood. Fa'ezeh [a member of parliament] left for a parliamentary session and returned in the evening. I spent most of the day reviewing bulletins. Newspapers have highlighted my comments from the day before yesterday regarding the possibility of participating in the elections, which has become a sensitive and important political issue.

The Ministry of Intelligence's statement on the Mahdaviyat group has been released, claiming that they intended to assassinate Sunni clerics and senior Iranian officials, including myself, Mr. [Mohammad] Khatami, and Mr. [Mohammad] Yazdi. The previous report given to me did not mention Mr. Yazdi and Mr. Khatami.

The Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MKO) has claimed responsibility for attacks in several places in Iran in retaliation for the bombing of their base [in Iraq]. The Ministry of Intelligence has reported a bombing in Ahvaz, which resulted in two deaths and eight injuries. Russian forces are now on the outskirts of Grozny, [the capital of Chechnya], and the shelling is intense. Mr. [Boris] Yeltsin, [President of Russia], fell ill during negotiations over Chechnya and was taken to the hospital.