Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – December 16, 1996

A group of veterans came on the occasion of Veterans Day. Mr. [Mohsen] Rafiq Dost, [Chairman of the Mustafafan and Veterans Foundation] reported. I also gave an encouraging speech to the veterans; Emphasizing the fact that our veterans are alive, active and dynamic because of their faith and divine motivations and the successes they have in education, culture, sports and economic efforts.

The members of the mosque construction [and restoration] fund came. Mr. [Ali] Ghayuri, [Mahmoud] Mohammadi Iraqi and [Mohsen] Qaraati requested help for the construction and repair of mosques. It was decided to help in the construction and management of mosques by following the policy of mosques being popular and people's participation.

Mr. [Ali Akbar] Velayati, [Minister of Foreign Affairs], [Mohammed] Faruzandeh, [Minister of Defense], [Mohsen] Nourbakhsh, [Chairman of the Central Bank], [Mahmoud] Vaezi, [Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs], [Mehdi] Safari, [Iranian Ambassador in Moscow], Kayani and [Ahmed] Vahid, [Deputy Logistics of the Ministry of Defense] came. It was discussed about the golden opportunity of using Russia's abilities to receive advanced technologies and that we should act far from cumbersome regulations and bureaucratic system, with effective decisions and tools and with exceptional speed and powers. We identified several important tasks. It was decided to use leadership powers; Leaders have already made such a proposal.

Mr. Velayati stayed and gave the report of his trip to Indonesia and the efforts they are making to organize the conference of Islamic leaders and the harmful actions of Saudi Arabia in this regard and the elections were discussed. He would like to be nominated, but it is a condition that he is assured that the leadership and I are satisfied, and it is announced somehow that there is no preference between the candidates.

In the evening, in the meeting of the government board, we had some resolutions. I was the guest of the leader. There was talk about the possibility of strikes from the United States, which the leadership raised in the talks yesterday, and which caused anxiety to some. It was decided to examine the ways of confrontation and the principle of confrontation. Of course, there is no reason at hand and I think that it would have been better if they did not propose a leader. We discussed the elections and buying from Russia, the situation in Russia, my trip to Türkiye, memories of the pre-revolution era, and other current issues.