Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – November 5, 2003

Mr. Abbas Safarian, [former ambassador of Iran to Senegal] came. He said that he redeemed himself from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and since his children are studying in France, he is looking to find a job in France.

Mr. Masih Mohajeri, [Advisor to the President and Managing Director of Jumohri-e-Islami newspaper] came. He consulted on the preparation of a report on the important services of the [engineering and construction] company of marine facilities to the management of [Farzandam] Mehdi, in the transfer of technology for the construction of large offshore platforms, underwater pipes, Abu Dhar platform and the start of the South Pars Asalouye project.

[Mr. Manohar Joshi], Speaker of the Indian Parliament came. The negotiations were friendly and ceremonial. I said, unfortunately, the two cooperation plans between Iran and India in connecting Iran's gas to India and building satellites, which were designed when I was in charge, have not been pursued.

Mr. [Hassan] Vaezi, the person in charge of the assembly's commissions [identification of the expediency of the system], came for the agenda of the upcoming session of the assembly. Obtained opinions for the notification program of commissions' works. The twenty-year vision prepared by the assembly was announced today after the approval of the leadership

In the evening, I did the first interview with Kahan [newspaper] about the condensed history of a quarter of a century of the revolution. The interviewer, Mr. [Ghadratullah] Rahmani, [Secretary of Keihan Discussion Service], is a veteran of 70% of spinal cord amputations.  

Iftar, the secretariat staff and their family members were my guests. The news of the release of Mr. Sohail Karimi and Saeed Abutaleb, [radio documentary makers] and the description of the tortures and mistreatment of them by the American military during their captivity [in Iraq], has a wide impact in the media. They say that 47 other Iranians are in American prisons without any crime.

In Iraq, unknown assailants have been attacking the judges who deal with former Baathist crimes for several days and killed several of them. Spain has evacuated its embassy staff in Iraq. Several other countries have also reduced the number of employees. The pressure is on Bush, [President of the United States], to get out of Iraq.

Anti-war opponents in Britain are preparing for massive demonstrations during [George] Bush's visit. [Tony] Blair, [British Prime Minister], has been sued by a group of judges as a war criminal.

Shirin Ebadi has accepted the representation of Zahra Kazemi's case and at the same time, he is being criticized and protested for shaking hands with Mr. Mohammad Maleki and [Habibullah] Peyman at the ceremony of Amirkabir University.