Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 9, 1999

Last night, Mr. [Mohammed Reza] Nouri [Shahrudi, Iran's ambassador to Saudi Arabia] called from Riyadh and informed about the good agreement between the oil ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia, which is causing the growth of oil prices. [Mr. Elahi Bakhsh Sumer], Speaker of the Pakistan Parliament came. In the negotiations, we discussed the necessity of warming relations and solving the problem of Afghanistan and fighting terrorism in Pakistan and activating important cooperation projects, such as gas transfer and establishment of a refinery, etc. He said, you have the most credible success in the world of Islam and if you travel to Pakistan, you can solve many issues between the two countries and the people and government of Pakistan have a lot of trust in you.

Dr. [Abbas] Hanrdost, a dentist, [Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Iranian Dental Association] came. He invited me to open the international congress of dentists and visit their exhibition. He said, during the construction period, 85% of consumer needs and equipment were made inside the country, and now 15% is imported, but the government does not give currency or entry permit for this 15%, without transferring currency, and therefore it is very expensive and rare, or has a black market.

Mr. Siraj [Uddin Mousavi], our ambassador in Pakistan, came. He said about the interference of intelligence agents and cultural consultants in Pakistan's internal affairs and that they have been complaining about those actions recently and asked me to tell the leadership to stop these actions. He complained to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that it has not paid the necessary price to relations with Pakistan.

Zohar Mohsen, [CEO of Tehran Metro Company] came and explained the process of the launching and opening ceremony of the metro and said, Mr. [Syed Mohammad] Khatami, [President], did not have any technical and economic questions and praised your role in the metro; Although the media has summarized it and visited Mr. [Mohammed] Emami Kashani, who is hospitalized due to heart failure; They are getting better.

In the evening, a group of elders from Khoy city came. They are building a big hospital called "Ayatollah Khoei" there. They expect that the executive staff of Farman Imam will give them 62% of the shares of Iran Mashreq that they have in their possession, and the other 38% is from a retired secretary who donated to the hospital.

[Mr. Sulaiman Ali Al-Saeed], the new ambassador of Kuwait came. He said, [Mr. Jaber Ahmad Al-Sabah], the Emir of Kuwait, during his farewell, emphasized that he would meet me and ask for my support in fulfilling his duties. Today Mr. [Syed Mohammad] Khatami, [President], traveled to Italy; Because it is the first visit of the president of Iran to the West after the revolution, it has a wide reflection. Although the hypocrites are trying to overshadow it with large demonstrations in Rome and the occupation of several representative offices.