Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – February 27, 1988

I was at home. I spent my time resting, reading and walking in the yard. In the afternoon, Mr. Khamenei informed that Iraq attacked the Tehran refinery and caused damages. The order was given to retaliate by hitting Baghdad and Basra. I said that it should be announced today for people to leave the cities of Basra and Baghdad; Attacks on cities and economic centers are likely to expand.

Until noon, we hesitated to go to the front, but at noon we decided to go. Mohsen came in the evening and said goodbye and left for them to leave by train and I would join them from the stations in the middle of the way.

Brigadier General Jalali [Defense Minister] informed by phone that the Pakistani intermediary has announced his readiness to bring a significant number of Stinger and Tau missiles and Lamp Hag missiles to Tehran.

The prices are not bad either. He wants us to help free a French hostage. Ayatollah Khamenei agrees. We have to ask others.

I told my office to get a ticket to Khorasan for Efat and his companions, and I told Mr. Tabasi on the phone to consider a place for them to stay. Because me, Mehdi, Yaser and Mohsen will be at the front, he cannot stay at home alone, he goes on a trip.

At eight o'clock in the evening, we left the house together with Dr. Rouhani and the guards in Basiji uniforms. I write the rest in the Motahari camp by the lake [Zarivar in] Marivan, near the Iraqi border. -

We went to the Kurdan station between Karaj and Qazvin. The train arrived immediately and we boarded the [Tehran-Tabriz] train around ten o'clock at night. A wagon was tied behind the locomotive for me and my companions. Dr. Rouhani and I were in one compartment, the IRGC missile group and Mohsen were in another compartment, and guards were in other compartments. They brought chicken rice for dinner.

We slept near Qazvin. The train was very hot. Although almost all around the path was covered with snow. We said they lowered the temperature and left the window open. Again, I woke up frequently because of the heat and the sound of the train - especially when passing through the tunnels that are so numerous on the route. Most of the route is mountainous.