Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 20, 1989

I arrived at the parliament at half past six in the morning. I read the reports until half past seven. Westerners have become sensitive about my trip to the Soviet Union. Before the start of the meeting, I explained to the representatives about the trip to the Soviet Union and the topics on the agenda of the negotiations and how to choose companions. After the meeting, I returned to my office.

Mr. [Mortaza] Alviri came. He said about Mr. Montazeri's issues and constitutional amendment. The representatives are worried about giving the right to dissolve the parliament to the leadership that is proposed in the revision council, and they are preparing a petition. I did office work until half past nine in the morning. I went to the leader's office to say goodbye. We discussed about the trip and issues of the election of the president.

I went to the [Mehrabad] airport. The farewell ceremony was official. The prime minister and a group of representatives, ministers and commanders were also there. I did an interview. The Prime Minister also spoke. We flew to Moscow at eleven o'clock with the official farewell. Before us, another plane took the companions. The accompanying board is very large; Due to the many tasks in the order of negotiations, a combination of the government, the parliament, the military, etc., negotiations and consultations were held on the plane. Above the Soviet soil, we could see the views of mountains, fields, waters, etc.

At two and a half in the afternoon, we landed at the special guest airport in the south of Moscow. According to Kolyakov's plan, Gorbachev's first deputy and Foreign Minister [Edward Sheward Nadze] and a group of Soviet personalities were welcomed at the airport, the Sun ceremony and parade were held; They say it is at the level of receiving heads of state.

From the airport, we went directly to the Kremlin Palace. On the way, Kolyakov, who was in my car, explained about Moscow and my questions. Among other things, he said that Moscow is in the plain. There is no mountain around. The area is green and full of artificial forest. The air is humid. The temperature is 22. Their summer is short. It rains a lot for two and a half months. Moscow has a population of 9 million. The city is mainly in the form of apartments. The average construction of apartments is about 40 square meters. Two million people are waiting for housing in Moscow. They usually live together in their father's house or...

We were welcomed by Gorbachev in the Kremlin Palace. The first encounter was warm and sincere. Photographers and videographers took photos and videos. Official negotiations began immediately in one of the halls of the palace with the presence of a group of my companions and Soviet figures. In these negotiations, the talks were general, friendly and positive. Then we made the meeting private with the presence of foreign ministers and our ambassador and a translator for both sides.

In the private meeting, the discussions on political, technical, economic and military issues were frank and intimate. Two meetings lasted two hours in total and both parties were satisfied. Then we watched a part of the palace. It was one of the works of churches and tsars. We went to the residence in "Lenin Hills" neighborhood; The garden is clean. It is an old building for high-end guests. Most of the companions were taken to the hotel.

Chastity and children had already been brought to the place. After resting and praying, we visited the streets of Moscow with our ambassador Mr. [Naser Hirani] Nobari in a ceremonial car. The streets are wide, clean and green. We got off next to Moscow University and Panorama. In the Panorama Museum, there are interesting spaces from the view of the last wars between Napoleon and the Russians and the final defeat of Napoleon.

We went to our embassy. Companions and members of the embassy were gathered. We discussed the negotiations. They are mostly satisfied. They informed us that they have agreed to our trip to the Muslim region of Azerbaijan (Baku); It was already opposed. The result of negotiations is good.

We were guests of the embassy for dinner. Then we discussed the contents of the agreement in the presence of the foreign and asset ministers. I gave a short greeting to the ladies of the embassy staff. The embassy building is old. It used to be the house of one of the old princes and has valuable paintings. We returned to the headquarters to sleep. We arrived at the headquarters around two midnight.