Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – October 1, 1988

I arrived at the parliament at nine o'clock in the morning. I saw the reports until half past nine. Mr. [Mahdi] Karroubi [Vice Speaker of the Parliament] came. We discussed the reconstruction policy. He is dissatisfied with the government and their performance and opposes the extremists. He emphasizes on a more open economic and welfare policy.

Mr. Raiszadeh, the Deputy Public Relations [Parliament], came and presented an analysis regarding line conflicts and asked me to pay attention to both lines. Mr. [Ali] Kamiyar, representative of Urmia, came. He appealed for the export of Urmia apples and criticized the behavior of the governor of West Azerbaijan.

Mr. Shamkhani and the members of the operations headquarters [of the armed forces] came and asked for an opinion regarding the formation of a joint military commission between Iran and Iraq on the border, to investigate the disputes and exchange three Iraqi and ten domestic prisoners who were recently captured by both sides; I agreed. Last night, Brigadier General Jamali also inquired about this and both said that the Iraqis, in order to agree to turn off the three Iranian oil wells that are on fire in the Dehlran region, condition us to close the water of the Salman Canal that flows in the Kushk region. I told them to check what is the purpose of this condition.

In the afternoon, Mr. [Mohammed Kazem] Khansari, our ambassador in Libya, came. He gave a report on the talks between Dr. Velayati and Colonel Gaddafi. reported that Gaddafi expressed his desire to cooperate in the reconstruction of Iran and consulted to accept the embassy in Kuwait, which was offered to him - on the condition that he could come from Libya. He was supposed to go to Lebanon, but he is not ready.

I worked in my office until four in the evening. Mehdi came. He complained about the indiscipline of the bodyguards, and ifat criticized the bad behavior at the airport with the family of the Iraqi painter Shahid Daada on the phone. I was supposed to take care of it.

I left for Qom by car at half past four. I entered Mr. Montazeri's house at half past six. Mr. Khamenei and the Prime Minister had already arrived and Mr. Ahmad Agha and Mr. Mousavi Ardabili arrived later. After the prayer, we sat down to negotiate. He mostly listened to the opinions and criticisms of Mr. Montazeri. they are bored Sometimes negotiations turn bitter. They brought dinner from outside. We left for Tehran at half past nine. We arrived in Tehran around one in the morning. I was very tired and slept in the parliament. Because we had a meeting tomorrow morning and the guards were tired.