Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – November 7, 1993

The work was done until half past nine in the morning. [Mr. Gholamreza Aghazadeh], the oil minister, came and asked for his opinion on the gas transmission pipeline and on petrochemical plans for his trip to India. We talked about the future negotiations of OPEC. Dr. [Abbas] Shibani, [Tehran's representative], came and criticized the action of Mohammad [Hashmi, head of the Broadcasting Organization] regarding the broadcast of the parliament's answer.

Mr. [Ali] Larijani, [Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance] and [Ferydoun] Vardinejad, [Chairman of the Islamic Republic News Agency - IRNA-] came. There was talk about the establishment of a [government organ] newspaper. Mr. [Abbas Ali] Vakili, [head of the headquarters for handling the affairs of freedmen] came.

He made suggestions about the Azadegan headquarters and the proposal to establish the Isargaran office in spring and the next year's budget. [Mr. Ali Mohammad Basharti], the Minister of Interior came. They talked about the governor of Mazandaran and Yazd, the police force and the situation in Qom.

Dr. Habibi came in the evening. They talked about the office, the program, and the deputies. In the meeting of the government board, the second five-year plan was ordered and for Mazandaran, [Mr. Sidasmail Mofidi] was appointed as the governor.

I was the guest of Ayatollah Khamenei last night. We discussed more about the figures of the program as well as the issues between the TV and the parliament; Ayatollah Khamenei was unhappy with Muhammad's action. They used to say that the voice should not be used to answer the parliament and they would answer them in another way.