Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – May 17, 1985

Early in the morning, we went to Karaj with [Mr. Dr. Zali], the Minister of Agriculture, to visit the Institute of [research and] improvement [and preparation of seedlings and] seeds. First, we watched a movie and they gave an explanation, and then we went to the farm, they explained the process of seed modification and we also observed it in the farm. I had an interview.

At the invitation of [Shahpour] Bakhtiar, a number of anti-revolutionary people crossed the barrier in Veli Asr street [Tehran] with their cars, and they dispersed when Hizbollah and agents entered the scene.

Asr Ahmad Agha - cousin - came and consulted for the establishment of the Rafsanjan Pistachio Cooperative Company office in the countries of the south of the Persian Gulf and foreign exchange trading with heavy industries and the opening of a center in Europe. This cooperative company, which has tens of thousands of small-scale farmers as its members, has been able to provide good services in supporting farmers and providing foreign exchange for the country, and some members of parliament want to use the experience of this cooperative for products such as dates, citrus fruits, dried fruits, saffron, etc., which farmers have problems with. Before the revolution, the pistachio business was in the hands of a few major capitalists, but now its profits go to the farmers.

At night, Mr. Sayad [Shirazi], [Mohsen] Rezaei and [Rahim] Safavi came. We discussed the war. They do not happen, and this disagreement between the IRGC and the army is a source of weakness; We did not get anywhere in the negotiation. I put forward the plan to merge the army and the ground forces, and the army was satisfied and the hunter was dissatisfied. [My son] Mohsen, who had gone to the front, returned and gave a report on the situation of Majnoon Island.