Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani – March 21, 2003

Today is the second day since the start of the full-scale invasion of Iraq by the United States, the United Kingdom, and Spain. On the last day of the previous year, I wrote about yesterday’s events, most of which were related to this war. Today, like yesterday, the war continued.

The Americans had said that they would carry out the main phase of the invasion last night, but they did not take any major action. In the Faw Peninsula, they have deployed troops by helicopter landing. They have begun a ground assault on the port of Umm Qasr and claim to have captured these two cities, but Iraq denies this and says the fighting is ongoing. An attack from the Jordanian border was also reported, which Jordan has denied.

Three American helicopters and one American military transport aircraft were shot down, and 16 members of the invading special forces were killed, 12 of them British. This news has caused a crisis in London. Today, four Iraqi missiles also landed in Kuwait, apparently targeting an oil refinery. Air strikes on Baghdad and Mosul continue, and Iraq reports seven fatalities.

Mr. Ali Larijani, head of the national broadcasting organization, informed me that an American military cargo boat encountered problems at sea and came ashore, where its crew were arrested and disarmed. He also said that a missile landed in Kurdish border villages and several shells fell on the banks of the Arvand River in our territory.

The United States claims it has taken control of the oil wells in the Zubair area (west of Basra). Air and missile attacks on Basra have intensified, and ten-ton bombs—so-called “Mother of All Bombs”—have been dropped on Basra.

Britain has complained that the United States did not consult it about the timing and manner of the attack, and says the war will be difficult and long. Anti-war and anti-American protests are growing and becoming more hostile. Clashes with police are occurring, and arrests are increasing. The United States has frozen Iraq’s assets.

Dr. Ali Larijani also came and presented an analysis of the risks of a rapid American victory and expressed concern about possible U.S. harassment against Iran, asking me to pay more attention to these issues.

The United States claims that 35 countries support its military actions, but it cannot disclose the names of some of them—presumably Arab countries concerned about public opinion. The United States has asked 60 countries to expel Iraqi diplomats; 56 have agreed.

Today, some children and relatives came to visit for the New Year.