Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – July 9, 1997

Saeed [Lahoti, Fati's wife] reported that Fati was in pain again last night. Chastity went to visit. I worked on the Koran key until half past nine. Then I went to Azadi Stadium; The workers had organized a conference to appreciate the services of my government. It was a grand ceremony in the hall of twelve thousand people. Mr. [Hossein] Kamali, [Alireza] Mahjoub and [Abulqasem] Sarhadizadeh said in the description of the work done; Especially the services we have provided to the workers. A worker recited a poem and presented two beautiful plaques. I also had a detailed discussion about the rights of workers and the work that has been done to achieve their rights and improve their character and life; From labor law, education, insurance, wage reform and tax reduction.

I went to my office. Mr. [Ali] Meshkini, [Mohammed] Momen, [Ibrahim] Amini and [Syedhasan] Taheri [Khorramabadi, members of the board of the Assembly of Leadership Experts] came. We had a meeting of the chairmanship of the Assembly of Experts. There was supposed to be a summit in Mashhad in the summer, but we decided to postpone it. They expressed their concern that the destructive clerics would become active in next year's expert elections and weaken the leadership in the Assembly of Experts.

They suggested that we delay the elections for two years to be held together with the parliamentary elections, which I did not accept, and there was another proposal to approve that the representation be for life, which was also rejected. There was a discussion about the election of experts and the construction of the center of experts in Qom, who have received my help, but they have had problems with the municipality and the people regarding the building permit. In Qom, there has been a wave of opposition to the change of Salaria and Zanbil Abad. Mr. Taheri reported about the Pakistan Foundation and Mr. Momin talked about the high cost of agriculture and wells.

Ali Akhwazadeh and Mahdi came in the evening. They said about the possibility of running out of gas. I said that we have allowed the import to be paid for later from the products of the Bandar Abbas refinery. In the meeting of the government board, we had three resolutions. I had a radio and television interview about my trip to Khuzestan and Lorestan.