Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 20, 1981

Early in the morning, Effat went to Iranmehr Hospital to undergo a minor surgical procedure and was admitted. I went to Parliament. The motion on “the political incompetence of Mr. Bani-Sadr” was on the agenda. Engineer Sahabi, as the first opponent, wanted to raise a procedural objection to the agenda, but he was unsuccessful. Then the opponents and supporters spoke. The opponents had nothing to say. They portrayed themselves both as opponents of Bani-Sadr and as opponents of his removal. The supporters, too, despite having many substantial points to make, did not speak well.

A huge crowd of Hezbollah supporters had gathered outside Parliament and were demanding that the proceedings be expedited. I spoke with them during the recess and in the afternoon.

The Mojahedin-e Khalq, Peykar, Rahjayan, the Fedaian Minority, and other groups had made extensive preparations to create unrest and prevent Parliament from carrying out its work, and had in effect announced an armed struggle. From four in the afternoon, they took to the streets and began acts of destruction, killing, looting, and unrest in Tehran and many other cities.

Gradually, the Revolutionary Guards, the Committees, and Hezbollah supporters began confronting them. I was in Parliament. The sound of gunfire could be heard from several parts of the city. Reports of injuries and deaths were also coming in. A number of members of Parliament had gathered in my office.

Near sunset, Mr. [Reza] Zavarai, head of the Security Headquarters, came and brought a recorded tape of telephone communications between the Mojahedin-e Khalq’s command center and one of their contacts involved in the street unrest, which revealed their extensive plan for destruction and disorder.

Early in the evening, the rioters were defeated and dispersed without accomplishing anything significant, apart from destroying several cars and causing several deaths and injuries on both sides. I stayed overnight in Parliament.

The first meeting of the Presidential Council was held in my office, in the absence of the President (who was in hiding), with Mr. Beheshti, Mr. Rajai, and myself in attendance. We discussed signing the regulations approved by Parliament, as well as current issues and the future of the presidency. I called the hospital to ask about Effat. She was doing well.

We received word that Mrs. Bani-Sadr had also been arrested. We decided that she should be released and kept under house arrest.