Analysis of Political Negotiations and Security

So on Friday night, the atmosphere had completely changed. On Saturday,

at 8: 00 a.m., I went to see the president and reported on the Geneva talks.

At the same time, I said that the negotiations were relatively good,

as far as negotiations go. But the existing atmosphere is not one of

negotiation at all; it is an atmosphere of war.

I also had an appointment at 9:

00, so I came to the Office of the Supreme Leader.

Well, I had an appointment with one of the office officials.

- So you didn't meet with the Leader?- No.

Yes, our standard procedure was to meet with Mr. Hejazi, so to speak.

The reports would go to him, and during the day, he would, for example,

present the reports from everywhere to the Supreme Leader,

and if there were any questions, they would bring back the answers.

If necessary, the Supreme Leader himself would meet with us.

It wasn't as if this was the only path.

In any case, the Supreme Leader's practice was to receive reports from everywhere,

review them all, and provide guidance.

If they deemed it appropriate,

they would summon the person— well,

not summon, but they would hold a meeting with them to brief them.

If necessary, they would also hold a group meeting.

They would either invite specific individuals or invite the Supreme Council.

In any case, in my opinion, there was a completely... ...

good decision- making system, and they still have it now.

Now, too, once security issues are resolved a bit, it should normally be the same.

- Were you with Mr. Hejazi?- I was with Mr. Hejazi at 9: 00.

And I was finally giving a report on the negotiations,

and I had just reached this part about the heavy wartime atmosphere, saying

it has been like this since last night and things are like this, when suddenly...

it was attacked there.- So they say the meeting was the Strategic

Council on Foreign Relations, right?- No.

- Because Mr. Kharrazi is also there, you are there, and Mr. Rahim Safavi is

also there.- No, you see, that is a large complex where...

Different departments are in it.

The Strategic Council on Foreign Relations has a place a few buildings away,

and they were also having a meeting at the same time.

However, nothing happened to that one.

Worse than that was the meeting that Mr. Shamkhani had organized,

and a number of commanders had gathered there.

- We won't broadcast this now, I mean, I doubt we can broadcast it,

okay?- Maybe it's for the historical record.

- There are three meetings that day.

One is the meeting of the Ministry of Intelligence's Council of Deputies,

which is at the ministry.

One is the meeting of the Strategic Council on Foreign Policy,

which is at the Office.

One is the meeting of the Council of Defense that Mr. Shamkhani organized.

Mr. Khamenei himself is also at the Office. How do you analyze this?

Three or four simultaneous meetings at 9: 30 a.m.

Well, the Strategic Council itself had a

regular meeting, so to speak, every Saturday.

Back when I was in the Strategic Council, we had meetings every

Saturday morning.

But in the building they have on Pasteur Street.

I don't know what had happened that they had evacuated the lower building that day.

Besides, that place wasn't the target, but Mr. Shamkhani's meeting was.

And Mr. Shirazi's office was a target, and Mr. Hejazi's office was a target.

The office of the Supreme Leader itself was the target. They hit these quickly.

- Did they also hit the meeting of the Ministry's

Council of Deputies? - That was in another building.- I know. No, I don't think

this simultaneous occurrence of multiple meetings is natural. Well, in those days,

of course, whichever building you went to, there was a meeting going on.

But yes, the meeting of…

the Supreme Leader was in his office. Never mind that. The fact that

the Defense Council meeting had also been convened by Mr. Shamkhani— now,

whether it was coincidental or not, I don't know,

but the Ministry of Intelligence was also holding this meeting at the same time.

What is important, in my opinion,

is their awareness of these meetings,

and this is perhaps a security loophole that existed and probably still does.

This must be cured, which the security forces are now pursuing.

And I believe this security loophole is not just about infiltration and

gathering information, sometimes it is also in directing

decision- making, and worse than that, in directing, shaping our

psychological atmosphere.

Let me put this cryptically.- Yes.

- Yes, I believe nothing can destroy the Islamic Republic except meetings.

I mean, these meetings have ruined the Islamic Republic.

But this timing, this intelligence mastery, and striking at 9:

30 a.m., I don't attribute this to technology or AI or whatever.

In my opinion, since you also have an intelligence background,

I think we should look for a few Kashmiris or something.

It's not that simple.- Ettela'at newspaper also wrote an article.

Well, let me tell you, in my opinion,

they knew that every day