Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – July 29, 1983

To relieve fatigue and lack of sleep, I slept after the morning prayer. I studied for a while for the Friday prayer sermons. Ahmad Agha came; he is not well, suffering from a stomach ache. He said that it is so severe and prolonged that it is likely to be cancer; of course, he said it jokingly. He reminded me that regarding the differences between the units of the [Islamic Republican] Party in the cities, with some of the Friday imams, it is necessary to give explanations to the Imam; because they constantly complain to the Imam. He said that this morning, Colonel Sayyad [Shirazi] and [Mohsen] Rezaee reported from the front that yesterday the Iraqis had recaptured part of the Darband heights. I contacted them; Sayyad said it was not important and announced that we would soon have an effective move in the continuation of the operation.

I went to Tehran University to perform the Friday prayer. I arrived a little late. I delivered the first sermon on the virtue of the scholar and the second on the war. I rested until the afternoon. A list of Korean ammunition and weapons that they can give us arrived; they are self-made. I said that it should be sent to the Ministry of Defense tomorrow. In the afternoon, the Prime Minister consulted by phone about the cabinet reshuffle, which is to take place soon. Dr. Velayati [Minister of Foreign Affairs] came and talked about his travel plan to several Asian and African countries. We discussed the letter of seven ministers (Messrs. [Ali Akbar] Parvaresh [Minister of Education] – [Habibullah] Asgaroladi [Minister of Commerce] – Velayati [Minister of Foreign Affairs] – [Ahmad] Tavakoli [Minister of Labor and Social Affairs] – [Mohsen] Rafighdoust [Minister of Sepah Pasdaran] – [Ali Akbar] Nategh [Nouri Minister of Interior]) to the Imam; it was a mistake.