Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – August 3, 2003

Mr. Charles Taylor, the President of Liberia, has announced that he will resign on Monday at 11:59 a.m., in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution.

For about a month, Heydar Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, has been hospitalized in Turkey, and rumors of his deteriorating health are widespread; although both he and his son Ilham have been nominated for the presidency, which has fueled these rumors. The day before yesterday, the President of Georgia sent a message of condolence to Azerbaijan, and today he sent a message of inquiry, while the opposition criticizes the secrecy.

Mr. Hossein Ebrahimi, the head of the Tehran Mosques Affairs Center, came with a group of his colleagues. They explained the program for honoring mosques. During my presidency, I had proposed to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation that a day or week be declared in the name of mosques, which has recently been finalized and is being implemented throughout the Islamic world. They requested that I inaugurate the conference on August 21. They sought help to expedite the approval of the center's charter by the Supreme Leader. It was decided that they would follow up on the implementation of the mosque regulations.

Mr. Hassan Shafti, the former ambassador to Spain, came and gave a report and made some suggestions. He said that the world counts on your statements and that this position should be utilized.

Mr. Masih Mohajeri, the social advisor to the President and the managing director of the Islamic Republic newspaper, came. He discussed the Leader's office, the Islamic Propaganda Office in Qom, and the seventh parliamentary elections.

In the evening, Mr. Nadav came. He spoke about his work in Kazakhstan. Mr. Hossein Marashi, the representative of Kerman, came. He consulted about the elections and negotiations with the Combatant Clergy Association and the Society of Combatant Clergy and criticized the management of the Rafsanjan Pistachio Producers Cooperative.

Mehdi, the CEO of the Fuel Consumption Optimization Organization, said that after a period of delay, the Japanese have officially submitted their price proposal for implementing the Azadegan oil field project, which is very expensive.

In Iraq, clashes and arrests continue. In Mozdok, Russia, the death toll from the hospital explosion has reached 50. In Pakistan, an ammunition depot explosion has killed 50 and injured over 100. In India, with the agreement to build the Ram Temple, parties have expressed opposing views.

In Palestine, with the arrest of 20 Palestinian mujahideen in Yasser Arafat's office by the Palestinian Authority police, the Al-Aqsa Brigades have announced they will end the ceasefire.