Memories of Akbar Hashemi - February 3, 2003

I proposed the same idea of a "Comprehensive University [of Islamic Sciences]" that I had raised in Qum, tailored to the situation in Tehran, as a way to modernize the education of seminary students. The UN Security Council has requested that Iraq agree to the flight of U-2 spy planes over its territory; Iraq has conditioned its acceptance on the cessation of US and British flights in northern and southern Iraq.

Full Diary Text:

Messrs. [Reza] Motallebi and [Abdulhossein Todeh] Fallah from the Marvi [Seminary] School [in Tehran] came and provided a report on the status of the seminaries, which I had previously heard during a visit to Marvi. They sought assistance in modernizing the education of the students; I suggested the same idea of a "Comprehensive University [of Islamic Sciences]" that I had proposed in Qum, adapted for Tehran. I told them to draft a constitution incorporating changes to the textbooks, teaching methods, logistics, and educational facilities, and that I would provide support.

Mr. Abbas Maleki [Head of the Caspian Sea Studies Institute] came and presented proposals regarding the division of the Caspian Sea. Sheikh Ghodrat Alikhani [representative of Buin Zahra] came. He spoke of the disputes among reformist groups and requested that I visit his constituency in Buin Zahra for a program. He informed me that A-Sayyid Hadi Khamenei [Managing Director of Hayat-e No newspaper] is aggrieved by my mention of the insult to the Imam in Hayat-e No during my [speech] in Mashhad. I told him he should be pleased with the considerations that were shown.

In the evening, I had an extensive interview with Messrs. [Mahmoud] Vaezi [Vice President of Foreign Policy Research at the Expediency Council's Center for Strategic Research] and [Abbas] Maleki regarding the Revolution's foreign policy—considering the Constitution, religious considerations, and national interests—to be published in the Rahbord [Strategic Research Center] journal.

There is a stir in domestic and foreign media regarding an unknown disease; apparently, several girls from Sardasht have been afflicted and have staged a sit-in at the Ministry of Health, claiming it is a result of measles vaccine injections, while the Ministry states that no measles vaccines were administered at all.

The UN Security Council has requested that Iraq agree to the flight of U-2 spy planes over Iraqi territory, and Iraq has conditioned its acceptance on the termination of US and British flights in northern and southern Iraq.

In Venezuela, some of the strikes have ended after 63 days, with only the oil [industry] workers' strike remaining.