Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 11, 1988

At half past eight in the morning, I went to Mr. Khamenei's office to participate in the meeting of the Supreme War Support Council. We had several resolutions. After the meeting, we discussed the proposal to install Colonel [Ali] Shahbazi instead of Timsar [Ismail] Sohrabi as the Chief of Staff of the Army.

Mr. Rouhani informed from the front that in the Panjvin region, the majority of the captured remains in the hands of the army and they have returned a part and they have 260 prisoners. They decided to announce the operation tomorrow. From there, I went to Majlis Hospital to fill my tooth that was recently empty. I went to the assembly at noon. I read the reports.

Today, Iraq started the war of cities by firing two missiles at Tehran and one at Isfahan. One of Tehran's missiles and Isfahan's missile exploded in space. An order was given to retaliate in Baghdad and Sulaymaniyah.

In the evening Mr. [Gholam Abbas] Zari came and told about Bandar Abbas elections. He has won. Our new ambassador in Greece, Mr. Bey Niaz, came and consulted about our policy in Greece; They have stated that they are ready to trade in special items. I commented that they should be warm.

Mr. El Mousavi, our ambassador in Colombia and Panama, came. He told about the status of Panama and American domination in Colombia and Panama and the importance of the Panama Canal. He suggested that we exchange their sugar, which is left on their hands due to the American boycott, with oil to strengthen the anti-American trend; I agreed.

Mr. [Ali] Fallahian [Deputy Minister of Information] came and asked for foreign currency credit for global propaganda about the people of Halabja; I paid He spoke about the espionage of one of the employees of the Palestinian embassy for the benefit of Iraq, and also explained the current issues between Hezbollah and Amal in Lebanon, and spoke about the extreme work of the IRGC in this regard and the carelessness of the embassy.

Messrs. [Mohammed] Faruzandeh [Chief of the IRGC General Staff] and [Moussi] Rafan [Commander of the IRGC Air Force] came. The missile reserve was discussed and decided. They explained the operational plans. I read reports and did my office work. The Kuwaiti plane crisis has intensified. Today they killed another Kuwaiti and did not get any points. I came home Dr. Rouhani told the situation of the operation on the phone and that the army is defending well. Patak is intense and consecutive. He requested military assistance and ammunition from the IRGC.