Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – July 20, 2003

Mr. Hamed Hassan, the new Syrian ambassador, came. Discussions were held regarding Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, America, Israel, and bilateral relations. Their views are similar to Iran's. He believes that America is trying to attribute the resistance of the Iraqi people to the remnants of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party.

Mr. Javad Maqsoudi, the head of the Tehran Friday Prayer Headquarters, came. There was discussion about the transition to the Tehran Mosalla and maintaining the current status of Friday prayers at the University of Tehran. He said that Mr. Mohammad Yazdi, the temporary Friday prayer leader of Tehran, due to illness and foot pain, can no longer come to Tehran to lead Friday prayers and has resigned, though his resignation has not been accepted.

Mr. Salman Davai, the son of Ali Davai, the head of the Nikan School, came. He thanked me for my support of non-governmental religious schools. He had questions about the secret to my successes and also about how to educate teenagers, and sought assistance for sending a group of teachers to study Japanese schools.

In the evening, Mr. Ghorbanali Dori Najafabadi, the head of the Administrative Justice Court, came. He discussed the jurists of the judiciary and consulted about remaining as head of the Administrative Justice Court after his term ends.

The problems of Tony Blair's cabinet after the death of David Kelly have increased daily, and there is open talk of resignation, impeachment, and trial. BBC Radio has officially announced that it has obtained the secrets of Blair's manipulation of the Saddam dossier, and even his claim of suicide was of no avail. An email from him has been obtained in which he said that people are plotting against him. Blair has opposed returning to London quickly, but in South Korea, demonstrations have been held against him as a war criminal, and placards regarding Kelly's death have been displayed.

A U.S. plane crashed in Kenya, killing 14. In Liberia, the civil war continues. America insists that Charles Taylor, the president, resign. He says he will resign if international peacekeepers are sent to Liberia, and America says the troops will come after his resignation.

In Iraq today, several attacks against Americans occurred, with casualties, and there have been demonstrations in several Iraqi cities protesting the siege of Muqtada al-Sadr's home. The Union of 78 Arab parties has protested the formation of the Governing Council.

The team of Channel 2 TV reporters in Iraq has been in U.S. custody for two weeks.