Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – January 15, 1997

A group of managers and judges of the Khwarazmi festival came. Dr. Hashemi [Golpaygani, Minister of Culture and Higher Education] reported. This year, more projects have come from inside and outside, and six international organizations are also participating in the ceremony and awarding. I also spoke encouragingly about the quantitative and qualitative growth of science and technology and research in the country and the role of the festival.

[Mr. Asghar Granmayepour], the governor of Mazandaran and Mr. [Hadi] Rohani, [Imam Juma Babol] came. They had requests for further development of the province and help in the prosperity of the stagnant rice market. Mr. [Mohsen Ghafouri] Ashtiani, the head of the Institute of Seismology, came. He reported the work and requested to get the land of the institute and activate the Khajir site.

Mr. [Abul Qasim] Khazali came. He referred to my services as a document of merit and competence of the management and expressed his regret that it was not possible to be re-selected and asked us to help someone. He brought his interpretation of Surah Hamad for me to read. Salmani came for correction. In the evening of the Supreme Administrative Council, the meeting had several orders that were left unfinished.

Mahdi night came. He gave the report of the negotiation with Amir Abdullah, [Crown of Saudi Arabia] in Riyadh, who still insists on helping to hand over the fugitive Saudi defendants that we do not know about. Negotiations with Mr. [Muammar] Gaddafi reported [the Libyan leader] that he asked our military industry experts to be more active in order to repair their tools and use their stagnant factories, and he conveyed the message of Mr. Sheikh Zayed, [President of the United Arab Emirates] that he requested not to hold a football match on Abu Musa Island.