Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 26, 1990

By nine thirty in the morning, the work was done. Mr. [Syed Hossein] Mousaviyan came from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said that the Swiss ambassador - the protector of American interests - has come and brought a message from [George] Bush, the American president. In this message, he specifically thanked us for our help in freeing [Robert] Paul Hill, the American hostage, and said that Hafez Assad [Syrian President] informed him that Iran had helped effectively in this matter, and he also said that American intelligence says that Iranian hostages were killed in the hands of the Maronites in the first days, but still they are ready to continue pursuing the issue of those hostages. I told them to answer verbally that if If Lebanese prisoners are not released from Israel, the issue of hostages will probably become more complicated.

Mr. Seyyed Hadi Khosrowshahi came. As usual, he talked about the issues of the news media and the issues of Islamic groups, as well as the weakness of our propaganda abroad, and demanded to give himself more powers and facilities and to pay for the construction of an Islamic center in the city of London. Dr. [Mohammed] Yarigarrosh, head of the welfare organization, came. made a work report and called for the integration of all institutions to help the underprivileged in one ministry. Dr. [Hasan] Habibi, [first vice president], came for the current affairs of the country.

In the evening, the Supreme National Security Council had a meeting with the presence of my political advisors and leadership; We discussed Saddam's letter. We decided to answer and at first, accept low-level negotiations; There were good discussions. I came home after breaking the fast.