Interview with Khatami about the possibility of a U.S. attack / He had many complaints about the Supreme Leader and the Head of the Judiciary

According to the political service of SaedNews, Hashemi wrote in the memoirs of this day: I was working at the Kooshk residence and office. In the afternoon, I went to the Hamrahan building in Sa’dabad to meet Mr. [Seyyed Mohammad] Khatami, [President]. He works here two or three days a week; due to discomfort from a history of asthma, it is smoky in the middle of the city. We discussed the possibility of a U.S. attack on Iraq or Iran. Nothing significant was added to my knowledge. Based on the statements of the U.S. and the envoys of neighboring countries, it is apparent that the decision to attack Iraq is explicit, but its manner and timing are unclear.

We also talked about domestic disputes and issues related to statements and rumors of leaving the government and rumors about the possible resignation of Mr. Khatami. He has many complaints about the Supreme Leader, the Head of the Judiciary, and individuals such as Mr. [Mohammad-Taqi] Mesbah [Yazdi]. He said he is not thinking of resigning and is under pressure. He is also angry with second-of-Khordad hardliners who have, through their extremism, brought matters to this point. He said his brother and others had written a letter requesting that a ceremony be held for this year’s second-of-Khordad anniversary. He replied in writing that if a ceremony is held, he will speak against the actions of the second-of-Khordad people. He wrote examples of their actions, one of which was their inappropriate behavior towards me. We also discussed the revelations of the Mojahedin [=People’s Mojahedin Organization] about nuclear science industrial projects and possible ways to prevent danger.

Mr. Khatami said that the Ministry of Intelligence reported that the son of [Osama] bin Laden and one of the Egyptian Al-Qaeda leaders are in Iran. He instructed the intelligence service to hand over bin Laden’s son to Saudi Arabia and to return the Egyptian individual to Pakistan.

Following an explosion in a five-story building in Moscow that killed nine people, a similar incident occurred in Siberia, Russia. In southern Philippines, the Abu Sayyaf group killed two Westerners they had recently kidnapped. American media have published reports claiming that [the group] Ansar al-Islam, present in Iraqi Kurdistan and the Iranian borders, is part of Al-Qaeda and under the command of the Iraqi government, attempting to link Saddam’s government to Al-Qaeda.