Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – July 5, 1995

Mr. [Ali] Fallahian, [Information Minister] came. Regarding the cases that Mr. Natiq [Nuri] and [Mohammed] Yazdi complained about, he gave explanations about the way of following up and using wiretapping and prison and not paying attention to the dignity of individuals and requested me to specify the method of prosecuting the accusations. He complained from the leadership office that they are pressuring someone to get a position. He had some questions about the [Majlis Panjam] elections and asked for permission to pay his loan installments late.

Mr. [Alireza] Marandi, [Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education], [Masoud Roghani] Zanjani, [Head of Program and Budget Organization] and deputies came. The budget and needs of public health insurance were discussed. It was decided that it will be implemented on an optional basis from the first of Mehr, and from the first of next year, it will be mandatory, and anyone who is not insured will face new tariffs. We were supposed to cover the credit deficit.

Mr. Mirzadeh, [executive vice president] came. He reported about the aid to East Azarbaijan province, on the occasion of travel, and reconstruction and other matters. Mr. [Mortaza] Ghorbani, the commander of the 14th division of Karbala came to Isfahan. He requested for the implementation of the west of Isfahan ring road project, which is supposed to be implemented by the IRGC, and told about the plan to build houses for the personnel.

In the evening, in the meeting of the government board, they talked about liquidity and ways to attract it, and it was not finished. I went to the dentist to fill my tooth that was empty yesterday. Mahdi night came. gave the report of the trip to Russia; He had gone to visit oil and gas facilities. He said about the stagnation of Russian factories and the activity of their gas and oil sector.

There is a lot of talk about the CNN interview in the press. Some consider it weak and lacks revolutionary appearances, and some consider it very calm and calculated and suitable for the conditions to persuade America in international circles. Both sides have considerable evidence. I intend to strengthen the ideal aspects in the next Friday sermon.