Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - 30 March 2002

Mr. Jahangiri, the Minister of Industries [and Mines], reported on the state of industries last year and next year's program, and expressed concern about the danger of the United States and the tense political situation in the country, and said that Mr. Ali Larijani, [the head of the IRIB], had told him in the government that if Mr. Hashemi became the person in charge of the project of removing the danger and calm with full authority, we might get results. Especially through the leadership.

Full text of the diary:

I went to my office and saw the reports. Israel has occupied Ramallah and entered Arafat's office. They have cut off water and electricity. Seven Palestinians and several Israelis have been killed in the clashes and many Palestinians have been arrested. In many Arab, Islamic and European countries, widespread popular demonstrations have been held against Israel's aggression, and the United Nations Security Council has issued a resolution calling on Israel to end its aggression and at the same time demanding condemnation of the violence from both sides, which caused Syria to abstain from voting and walked out of the meeting, saying that the resolution is weak and ineffective.  

Most Western leaders and NGOs blame Israel. 700 Western nationals have also started to go against Israeli tanks with a wall of meat to prevent them. A Palestinian teenage girl has killed and injured a group of Israelis in a martyrdom attempt. The whole political space of the world is against Israel and for the benefit of the Palestinians. Israel's opposition to the Arab summit's resolutions, which had also given Israel important privileges, has convinced the world that Israel shows unprecedented stubbornness. In total, the Arab summit has politically dropped the ball on Israeli soil, but the passage of 80 percent of the Palestinian territory against the handover of 20 percent is an important retreat similar to Camp David's, which is why I also opposed it in my sermons yesterday on Friday prayers. I especially blamed Iran for giving the UAE the three islands at the same time while generously giving 80 of the Palestinian territory from the pockets of the Palestinian people and giving it to the enemy insisting that they ignore Iran's right to the islands and it may be under pressure from the United States that it wants to occupy and militarize these islands after moving to the UAE especially recently in Kuwait and Qatar and Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia have gained a military base.  

There was a conflict between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in southern Lebanon and the Shebaa region, and Israel accused Hezbollah of trying to escalate the crisis in the region, threatening Syria and encouraging Hezbollah in Syria and Iran. [George] Bush, unlike the world, has defended Israel and defended Israeli aggression, while expressing regret over the violence. British Queen Mother [Elizabeth Bowes Lyon] has died of a lung infection at the age of 101.  

Mr. Isaac Jahangiri, the minister of industry and Mines, has arrived. He reported on the state of industry last year and next year's plan, and expressed concern about the threat of the United States and the political turmoil in the country, saying, "we expect you to take serious action to eliminate the risk and create peace", and said, " Mr. Ali Larijani, [head of the voice and Seema organization], told him at the [board meeting] that if Mr. Hashemi, the head of the risk and peace relief project with full authority, we may conclude.I said, "Now I will do whatever he has made of me, and especially through the leadership and Mr. Hassan Rouhani, [Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council] in the Supreme Security Council". He asked us to take more action on the recruitment of Mr. Abdullah Nouri, the former minister of State.I said, "the leader says explicitly, the condition for pardon is to take back what Mr. Nouri said". He asked me to visit the industrial designs.

The era of Mr. Kamal Kharazi, [foreign minister] came and spoke of the uncertainty of the situation in Afghanistan and of the lack of authority to control foreign policy and the danger of the Palestinian issue. He believes that Netanya's martyrdom operation was harmful during the Arab summit and gave Israel an excuse to reject the Arab plan and intensify the aggression.I said, if the Arab Peace is accepted, it is harmful, because Israel will be officially established and the right of the Palestinian people will be wasted. He said, "whatever they tried to call Mr. [Syed Mohammad] Khatami, [the president] with Yasser Arafat, [the head of the Palestinian Authority] is not possible, as if his phone was cut off or in the hands of Israel".

 He said that some oil companies have quoted that the leadership, Mr. Khatami and I, have appointed 20 people to negotiate with the United States, and that the officials who handed over weapons in Iran to the Karina ship have been arrested and punished.  I said, all of this is a lie and a Pentagon-type lie factory for psychological warfare and for specific purposes, similar to a rumor that has been spread recently - even in the parliament and some Arab media - that I have been entrusted with the issue of solving relations with the United States and I have appointed two people and are negotiating in Cyprus; all of this is a lie. 
We came with a family member. We arrived at seven o'clock. Mr. Hussain Qasimi ,the head of the Kish Free Zone Organization, and the deputies and the military welcomed him. On the way, he reported, and said, 7,000 passengers enter the air and sea every day.