Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – November 21, 1996

Akhvi Mohammad [executive vice president] came. They talked about the budget and regulation of the market, reconstruction and [presidential] elections. Dr. Habibi, [First Vice President] and Mirzadeh, [Head of the Program and Budget Organization] came. Unsolved issues of the budget were brought to get my opinion. We determined the final statement by adding amounts to the revenues by raising the price of oil and the amount of foreign currency sales to the export rate, and we added several items of expenses, including 100 billion tomans for the salaries of government employees and for war-torn areas. Then Dr. Habibi gave the report of his trip to Italy.

Mr. [Mohsen] Rafiq Dost and the deputies came. They gave a report on the state of industries of Mustafaan Foundation and asked for loans and foreign exchange needs. Then they reported about Tehran-North highway and told the needs. Mr. [Mustafa] Mirslim came for the order of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution.

In the evening, I went to Ayatollah Khamenei's office to discuss the issue of Iran and Germany. Mr. Velayati, [Minister of Foreign Affairs] and Ali Larijani, [Head of Broadcasting Organization] also came. Concern was expressed about the current issues with Germany; Even though Iran's propaganda is carried out with the planning of the leadership office and I had previously warned through Mr. Velayati about the possibility of adverse effects of such propaganda and it was said that the measures are so that Germany does not think that it can impose its opinion due to the need for its support in front of the United States. But for the time being, Germany has started to reciprocate in propaganda, and the press, radio, television, and parliament have begun to propagate against Iran. It was decided that diplomatic activities should be done to calm down and the attacks will gradually decrease. The leadership also observed in yesterday's speech.

I did not go to the meeting of the government board and I gave my opinion about the budget over the phone. I came home at night. Hassan Agha Khomeini came. He brought new plans to modify the design of the shrine. Efat, who had gone to Mashhad with the Sudanese president's wife, returned; He is satisfied with the trip.