Memories of Akbar Hashemi - February 24, 2002 - Controversies Surrounding the Harsh Article of Fiqh Weekly Against Mohammad Khatami and Other Press

Report from Mohammad Lahouti to Hashemi on Changes in the Management of the Kish Free Zone Organization

Controversies Surrounding the Harsh Article of Fiqh Weekly Against Mohammad Khatami and Other Press

Repercussions of the Sermons by Friday Prayer Leaders Regarding the Anti-Racism Seminar Held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Full Text of the Daily Journal:

I was at home. I spent my time reading. In the afternoon, the children gathered, and our worker, Mohammad Taghi, came with his son. He shared some news about the situation in Bahraman and the work there. In the evening, Mohammad Lahouti, [Fatemeh's husband], came. He spoke about changes in the [Kish Development] Organization under the new management, asserting that the new director is not leftist.

I read the news from the computer teletypes. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the U.S. government have coordinated against Saddam and the Iraqi government, announcing their decision to apply more pressure. In response to widespread protests regarding the recent bombing of Iraq, they acknowledged that the new missiles from the U.S. Navy have not performed well in Iraq, and Tony Blair, the Prime Minister of the UK, once again admitted Iraq's aggressions in the war against Iran and the use of chemical weapons against the Kurdish people in Halabja.

In Palestine, the Intifada has intensified, with an increase in reciprocal attacks between the Palestinian people and Israel. [Ariel] Sharon, the leader of the Likud party, has not achieved success in forming a coalition government, and it has been announced that Israel's economic situation is poor, with 62,000 people recently becoming unemployed.

In Turkey, the economic crisis has worsened; with the floating of the Turkish lira, the exchange rate has reached 1 million and 250 thousand lira for one dollar. Twenty-six years ago, one dollar was equivalent to 14 lira. It has been announced that the Turkish people have suddenly become 30 percent poorer due to the new devaluation of the lira.

The issue of the harsh article by Fiqh Weekly against Mr. [Mohammad] Khatami, the President, is being discussed in both domestic and foreign media, and statements criticizing the insults directed at the President and the disrespect towards the Parliament by [newspaper] Kayhan, as well as the insult to universities, have been issued following the Parliament's resolution regarding the prohibition of armed forces' entry into universities. Today's Friday prayer also addressed the issue of unveiled women at the anti-racism seminar held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.