Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – May 17, 1997

I was at home. I used to use radio mourning programs [on the occasion of Ashura day]. He spent all his time studying history. I read the biography of Haj Ebrahim Kalantar Shirazi - Etimad al-Doulah - chancellor of the first two years of the Qajar dynasty. In addition, the hundred-year history after the Safavids and before the Qajars was also desired. I also reviewed the coordination of the situation of Europe, Russia and India at this time from Will Durant's book History of Civilization. In this same period, the speed of progress of Europe and Russia and the situation of Iran and India are miserable. The reports draw attention to the victory of the Zaire rebels over the thirty-year dictator [Mobutu] Sese-Soko and Russia's agreement with the expansion of NATO, which is strongly opposed by Russia's domestic power centers.

Scattered news about the satisfaction of Mr. Khatami's faction, the brokers and the lack of satisfaction of Mr. Natiq Nouri's faction, comes from my speech in Friday prayer yesterday; Although it was completely impartial and it seems that this situation is due to the fact that the militant clerical community expected support and Mr. Khatami's faction was worried about opposing themselves.

Asr Hossein Marashi came. It was claimed that Mr. Khatami's condition is better. It was reported that a group of young people are displaying Mr. Khatami's picture on the streets and the police are stopping them. I warned [Mr. Ali Mohammad Basharti], the Minister of State, for dismissing the deputy governor of Hamedan; It has the aspect of supporting one party in the elections.

I told the special inspector [of the President's office] to look into the statements of one of Lar's scholars who said that there are two boxes full of votes in favor of Mr. Natiq [Nouri] in the governorship of Lar. Preliminary inquiries showed its inaccuracy.