Hashemi Rafsanjani's Memoirs from 1999; Ali Khamenei Played a Role in the 'Espionage' Case of Jews

While several dual nationals, civil and environmental activists are imprisoned in the Islamic Republic on espionage charges, the Didban website emphasizes the direct role of the Supreme Leader in these cases by reviewing the memoirs of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. On Thursday, July 1st, the Didban website examined the memoirs of Hashemi Rafsanjani, then head of the Expediency Discernment Council, who passed away six years ago, recounting the disagreements between then-President Mohammad Khatami and the Supreme Leader regarding the serial killings and the detention of 13 Jews accused of espionage for Israel. According to these memoirs, Ali Khamenei opposed the release of some of the 13 Jewish defendants, canceling President Khatami's order regarding this matter and refusing to grant the government and the Supreme National Security Council the authority to intervene in this case. The Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic accused the 13 Iranian Jews of espionage for Israel after their arrest in 1998. In a recounting of Hashemi Rafsanjani's memoirs from July 1, 1999, Mohammad Khatami criticized the Supreme Leader's handling of the case of the Jews accused of espionage, deeming it 'harshness.' Based on these memoirs, Ali Khamenei also opposed Hashemi Rafsanjani's proposal to transfer the case of the Jews accused of espionage to the Supreme National Security Council, believing that 'we must stand firm.' Ultimately, the court ruled that three of the defendants in this case were released, while sentences ranging from 4 to 13 years were issued for the 10 Jewish defendants. Iranian judicial and security institutions have consistently arrested and imprisoned several dual citizens and foreigners, environmental activists, and civil and political activists under espionage charges. Critics believe that the Islamic Republic uses imprisoned dual citizens and foreigners as leverage against foreign governments, ultimately releasing them in prisoner exchange agreements. In a part of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's memoirs related to July 1, 1999, Khamenei's opposition to Khatami's request for a statement regarding 'Saeed Emami's suicide' in prison is also mentioned. Saeed Emami, a senior official of the Ministry of Intelligence in the 1990s and the main suspect in the serial killings of dissidents, died under suspicious circumstances in prison in June 1999. The Iranian government attributed Emami's death in prison to 'suicide by ingesting cleaning chemicals.' Opponents of the Islamic Republic believe that security agents killed Emami to prevent the truth and the identities of the main perpetrators and instigators of the serial killings from being revealed.