Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – February 26, 1996

We left home to visit the subway. At the first station of Line 1 - next to Jahan Mozada St. - we visited its different parts, stairs, halls, commercial centers, decorations and platforms and heard the explanations of Mr. [Asghar] Ebrahimi, [CEO of Tehran Metro Company]; 90 kilometers of metro line in three lines and 53 stations are working. Then we went to the last underground station on line one - on Shush Street - and on the way, we visited several one-story and two-story stations; They say that part of the route has been railed and they have more than 100,000 square meters of commercial space, which the banks are supposed to take for their demand. I emphasized to Mr. Nurbakhsh, [President of the Central Bank], to pay the loans on time. Then we saw the Metro College, which is very detailed. Mr. [Ali Mohammad] Basharti, [Minister of the Interior] and Mr. [Asghar] Ebrahimi, [CEO of Metro Company] were also welcomed there, and I had a detailed talk, which I called the plan honorable and unique. Then there was lunch, prayer and interview.

I went to my office. Chastity was there; He said that he called Mr. Motahari's wife and she called Mr. [Ali] Larijani, [son-in-law of Martyr Motahari and head of the Radio and Television Organization], and protested the under-showing of my programs, which I said was wrong; I am sad about many of my programs on the radio.

[Mr. Bernard Ponce], Minister of Housing and Transport of France came. He emphasized France's willingness to cooperate with Iran and was very grateful for our welcome. I also said that I am ready to cooperate with France and that the issue of Bosnia and Herzegovina should not be an obstacle. Dr. [Ali Akbar] Velayati, [Minister of Foreign Affairs] and [Mahmoud] Vaezi, [Deputy for Europe and America] and [Aladdin] Boroujerdi,

[Vice President of Asia and the Pacific] came. There was a discussion about inviting presidents to the Sarkhes railway commissioning ceremony. I signed some letters.

Dr. [Hassan] Habibi, [first vice president and member of the Guardian Council] came and gave a report on the examination of the qualifications of the election candidates in the Guardian Council; Most of the rejected ones have been reconfirmed. He got an opinion for a trip to Syria. By nine o'clock at night, I did the work and came home. Mr. [Ali] Larijani, [head of the Broadcasting Organization] came and brought the poll report about the elections.