Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 21, 1990

It was half an hour after midnight when we watched the program of the New Year ceremony on TV and fell asleep. After the morning prayer, I went to Imam's shrine by helicopter and visited the Imam's shrine inside the shrine. It was a good gathering of people; They expressed their feelings passionately. I also visited the tombs of the martyrs of the 7th of Tir [in Behesht Zahra]. The members of the government arrived late. I gave half a coin to each of the helicopter pilots.

I went to the office. Ministers and advisers came; We had breakfast together. We went to Imam Khomeini's Husseiniyya to meet Ayatollah Khamenei. Before attending Hosseinieh, we went to the hall next to Hosseinieh. A number of personalities and scholars were present. I entered Hosseinieh with a leader. Officials of organizations and institutions were gathered. I gave my congratulations while speaking briefly, then Ayatollah Khamenei spoke.

I returned to the office. The guards and members of the office had gathered to congratulate Eid; Engineer [Mirhossein] Mousavi, [President's Political Advisor] came. [Mr. Gholamreza Aghazadeh], the oil minister came and gave a report on the meeting of OPEC ministers; In this meeting, Iran has insisted on increasing the price of oil to 20 dollars [per barrel], and the discussion has been postponed to the next meeting of OPEC.

I gave a gift to the guards and members of the office: one thousand tomans each. I came home for lunch. Saeed, Fati, Mohsen and Mehdi were also there. Everyone got their Eid. In the evening, I went to see the Imam's house. They were the wife and daughter of Imam and Ahmad Agha. I invited them to come with us to Kish Island [during Nowruz holidays]; they accepted Efat and Fati had visited them before noon and invited them.

Mr. Seyyed Hadi Tabatabai came and asked for help to solve the problems of Khuzestan sugarcane project. He also had suggestions for reforming customs affairs and foreign travel. Mr. Engineer Abbas Salari came. He criticized the state of exploration and production of oil and gas company.