Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 2, 2003

I went to Manzariyeh camp to open the meeting of Imams of North, Northeast and North-West of Tehran. Mr. [Hossein] Ebrahimi, the head of the center [for dealing with mosque affairs] of Imams of Jamaat, reported and said that people's requests and expectations from Imams of Jamaat, criticism of poverty and unemployment, lack of funds to help the needy and to complete half-finished mosques, put their plans in the conditions  It is inappropriate.  I gave a detailed speech about the position of the mosque and the imam of the mosque in Islam, in the direction of the way of God and the interests of the people and the revolution.  
I worked in the office until night.  [Michael Shitgelbauer], the Austrian ambassador came.  The negotiations were ceremonial.  His field of study was Islamic philosophy.  He also knows Arabic and a little Persian.  I asked him some questions about the philosophy of Islam and the West. He said, in the West, they have taken the old philosophy of the West from the Muslims.  Muslims have revived the old western philosophy.
In the domestic and foreign media, Mr. Khatami's letter to Mr. Karroubi regarding the twin bills [= "amendment of the parliament election law" and "explanation of the limits and powers of the president"] has received attention and criticism.  Liberals and foreigners are offended because of the price they gave to the Guardian Council, and Mr. [Ali Akbar] Moinfar, [a national-religious activist] said in an interview with the BBC, that the Guardian Council is not the guardian of the constitution and added insolently that it is the guardian of ignorance and tyranny.  The right wing also criticizes that this letter is against the constitution, which the president is responsible for implementing, and he gave the bills under the pretext of implementing the constitution.
The Group of Eight summit in Ovian, France, on the shores of Lake Geneva, and large demonstrations in Switzerland and France against them and clashes with the police are of interest.  In Iraq, there were large demonstrations against the United States and the demand for the continuation of the Iraqi army and the departure of the occupiers in Baghdad.  In Fallujah, there was a conflict with American soldiers and America warned Muslims not to use mosques against America.  He has threatened to destroy mosques.  In southwest Kirkuk, people openly support Saddam [Hussein].  The streets are full of photos of Saddam and slogans in his favor. 
In last night's meeting of militant clerics, one of the students criticized their performance.  These days, there is a lot of pressure in the cities by Hezbollah forces, against 127 representatives who signed the letter to the leadership, and they usually prevent their speeches.