Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 12, 1999

I went to Tehran University for Friday prayers. I gave two detailed sermons about the scientific miracles of the Quran and another one about the many issues of the day.

In the afternoon, children and relatives gathered. Mohsen, [CEO of Maarif Al-Henglab Publishing Office], brought the text that we had previously prepared to explain the McFarlane process and which had not been published, for consideration and comment for publication. Recently, the Americans have given documents of this trend to the Internet, and it may be necessary to publish the statement of facts to clarify the truth. This text was prepared by Mr. [Mohammed Hasan] Zouragh, based on the Tower and Iran-Contra reports, and criticized the incorrect points of that report. Mehdi, [CEO of Marine Facilities Engineering and Construction Company], had some questions about gas prices, gas market and gas industries, especially the conversion of natural gas into intermediate distillation products, such as diesel.

In the reports, the official joining of the three countries of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic to NATO is important. They were members of the Warsaw Pact in the past. The light air attacks on Iraq by the United Kingdom and the United States continue, and Iraq itself gives them the excuse by rejecting the no-fly zone and locking its radars on their planes, without the power to hit them.

The meeting of several oil-rich countries in Amsterdam, to reduce production and increase oil prices, is one of the important news items of today, which creates hope for the correction of oil prices. We had light rain last night and today.