Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - May 5, 2000 - Continuation of the Circumstances Surrounding the Suspension of Newspapers and Publications

Continuation of the Circumstances Surrounding the Suspension of Newspapers and Publications

A meeting took place with Masih Mohajeri, who had been actively pursuing the suspension of the press. He even suggested to Ayatollah Khamenei that decisive action was necessary after the suspension of a couple of publications, and his proposal ultimately bore fruit. Hashemi encouraged support for these actions and discussed how to promote them. Interestingly, Mohajeri was also the social advisor to the reformist president.

There was a meeting with Abdullah Jasbi, who reported on the elections and the results in Tehran, proposing their annulment.

Hashemi also met with the late Kazemi Dinan, the representative from Amol, and held an important meeting with the Assembly of Experts' leadership to discuss the necessary consultations and emphasize the differences between Ayatollah Khamenei and Mohammad Khatami while maintaining appearances.

Discussions continued with Ayatollah Mashkini about the indifference of religious authorities towards the clerical community.

Meetings were also held with Sheikh Ahmad Mohseni Garkani and Seyyed Fakhruddin Falasiri.

Masih Mohajeri visited Hashemi to discuss the recent suspension of twelve newspapers and magazines ordered by the court and sought advice on how to communicate these issues. Dr. Jasbi provided insights into the problems with the Tehran elections, stating that if the Guardian Council wanted to act legally, it must annul them. Kazemi Dinan lamented the neglect of important projects like the Astara-Gorgan canal and the Mangol dam, which had been pursued during the Reconstruction Government.

During lunch, the Assembly of Experts’ leadership was my guest. We discussed the upcoming assembly, representatives' needs, and the construction of a new center in Qom. Concerns were raised about the political issues in the country, particularly regarding the rift between leadership and Khatami, despite their outward friendship.

Ayatollah Mashkini stayed for a break, and after resting, we discussed the Qom seminary and the clerical community. It was noted that many older members of the clerical society no longer participated in meetings after new members joined, and some authorities had become indifferent to revolutionary issues.

Ahmad Mohseni Garkani, the Imam Jomeh of Arak, expressed concerns about the cultural and economic situation, mentioning that since 1997, approximately 40 million tomans in zakat had been collected for rural cooperative projects, but this had decreased in subsequent years. He sought assistance for the Arak mosque.

Former MP Seyyed Fakhruddin Falasiri from Neyriz also sought support for a youth center he had established.

The reformists were upset over the suspension of their twelve publications and were worried about further suspensions, urging their supporters to maintain calm. Across the country, seminaries held protests against the government's cultural policies. Western media created a significant uproar over the closure of newspapers.