Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 24, 2003

Messrs. Hamid Arab, Mohammad Hassan Rahimian, Hossein Irani, and Ali Banaei, the head of the Qom City Council and the Supreme Leader's representative at Azad University, came. They expressed concern about the poor cultural and moral conditions in Qom and cited as an example the misuse by several female students of Azad University of the home of one of the ayatollahs; a home that had been made available to him for the care of his bedridden and ill wife, and which they have now turned into a center for corruption. They requested that the university take measures to reform the students; for example, not accepting non-local female students.

Seyyed Baqer Kharrazi, the head of Hezbollah in Qom, came. He asked for our help in managing Hezbollah and the schools they have established. Mr. Gholam Ali, the representative of Buin Zahra, came. He said that some members of parliament were influential in the recent riots. He spoke of the differences between the Society of Combatant Clerics and the Mosharekat Party.

In the evening, I had a detailed interview with the Islamic Republic newspaper on domestic and foreign issues regarding the recent unrest, the parliament, elections, Palestine, Iraq, America, and reconstruction and future plans.

Mr. Mohammad Jafari Gilani, the head of the Islamic Propaganda Office of Qom, and Mr. Masih Mohajeri, the managing director of the Islamic Republic newspaper, requested that I go to Qom for the ceremony of the martyrs of Tir 7.

At night, I was a guest of the Supreme Leader. We discussed the recent riots, the trials and the rioters, the message of Amir Abdullah, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, regarding negotiations with America, the arrest of MKO members in France, the issues in Iraq, and also a popular march condemning the recent acts of mischief.

In Iraq today, an explosion also occurred at oil facilities, cutting off electricity to half of Iraq, and there were several attacks on Americans and a number of anti-American demonstrations. The IRGC Quds Force reported that in the past week, 15 Americans have been killed in Iraq, 45 wounded, and dozens of operations have been carried out by both sides.

Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, also supported the Iranian rioters in parliament yesterday, prompting Iran to summon the British ambassador to express its protest. The Supreme Leader suggested that, given the positions of the U.S., Britain, and Germany, it would be good to establish special relations with France, especially if France is serious in dealing with the MKO.

At the World Economic Forum, whose meetings were held in Jordan, there was much criticism of the U.S., and Paul Bremer, the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, somewhat deviated from his past positions there and made promises to the Iraqi people.

In Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, the President of Pakistan, raised the possibility of establishing relations with Israel, which has met with a sharp reaction from parties and the people.