Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 17, 1990

It snowed a lot last night. Due to the snow, the plan we had to participate in the graduation ceremony of the Corps in the barracks was canceled. I reached my office at half past eight in the morning. The work was done by ten o'clock. I visited the red palace near my office which is under renovation.

Mr. Noorbakhsh and Mr. Adeli came and presented the report on the current year's currency situation and the forecast for the year 2019; It is satisfactory. More than 15 billion dollars will be spent this year and more than 17 billion dollars in 2019, which Al-Qaeda must have a significant impact on the country's economic situation. From now on, its effects are appearing. Factories regularly announce the price reduction and supply of their products, which are higher than the government prices and much cheaper than the free market prices.

Mr. [Akbar] Turkan [Minister of Defense and Support of the Armed Forces] came for foreign exchange and riyal matters. I ordered [Mr. Sirajuddin Kazrouni] the Minister of Housing to amend the circular that slows down people's work. Negotiations were held with [Bijan Namdar Zanganeh] Minister of Energy, [Hamid] Mirzadeh and [Mohammed] Faruzandeh about the plan to improve the irrigation of palm trees on Abadan Island.

In the evening, Mr. [Mohammed] Khazai and Mr. [Ataullah] Mohajerani came. They suggested using the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to implement projects, which I said should be compared with other foreign sources.

Dr. [Mustafa] Moin [Minister of Culture and Higher Education] and the organizers of the Ferdowsi Congress came. This congress will be held next year in cooperation with UNESCO. They wanted my participation and speech; I accepted They are worried that because of the name of the book "Shahnameh" and the praise of Iranian kings, it will not have a good reaction in the society. I worked in my office until nine o'clock at night and came home.