Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – May 21, 1983

I was at home until nine in the morning. Dr. Velayati informed me that the Russians had decided to expel three of our diplomats, but not announce it, and had given their response with a high-handed stance, and it was decided that we would retaliate in kind as well. The Prime Minister's Information Office had also previously identified three other Russians who are engaged in espionage. We will expel those same people. Reports say that at the Ramin Power Plant in Khuzestan, where 1,200 Russians work, work slowdowns have begun because of the recent issues.

At nine I went to see the Imam. The harsh and excessive criticisms of the government by some members of parliament in their speeches before the agenda and on other occasions were raised. The Imam was displeased and intends to condemn them, considering them a cause of weakening the Revolution. He was also upset with Ayatollah Montazeri's associates and considered them affiliated with this same critical faction, saying that they were also leading Mr. Montazeri's thinking astray. They are thinking of a remedy; they also see one clue to it in Isfahan and Qahderijan, and it was decided to summon the Cabinet and warn them about the disagreements.

In the afternoon, one of the carpet merchants came and complained about the government's restrictions regarding carpet exports. Today, because of several IRGC and army commandos who drowned yesterday as a result of the flooding on the Chalus Road, a general mourning has been declared in Qom.  It is a strange incident; the flood was so enormous that it severely muddied the water of the Karaj Dam and the river, to such an extent that we were forced to cut off the water supply to parts of Tehran for several hours.