Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – October 17, 1982

After the prayer, I studied until eight in the morning and then went to the public session. Before the agenda, I spoke about the martyrdom of Ayatollah Ashrafi [Esfahani] and announced that we would attend the memorial service at Martyr Motahari Mosque. The bill to amend the taxes was under discussion; it was not finished. A number of representatives signed a letter asking Iran to pay America's share of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which had been cut off because of the expulsion of Israel.

At noon, I met with a number of representatives in my office. Our ambassador to North Korea came and spoke about that country's strengths and weaknesses. The father of Martyr [Mohammad-Taqi] Basharat [representative of Semirom] came and had some matters concerning the rights of the martyr's survivors. After resting in the afternoon, a group came and complained about the pressure being exerted on private Islamic schools. Then the minister and a group of the Ministry of Energy's directors-general came and gave a report on their plans and activities, which was interesting, and I also spoke. The children from the party's student branch came and had some remarks concerning the party's organization, which is under discussion. Then I attended the meeting of the party's Central Council.

Before the meeting ended, I went to the Esteghlal Hotel (the former Hilton), where we had arranged a reception in honor of the Speaker of the Korean Parliament. The presiding board and the chairmen of the parliamentary committees had also come. The Speaker of the Korean Parliament and I spoke. I spoke mostly about the struggle against imperialism at the global level. Late at night, I came home. I watched the film of Imam's meeting today with preachers and religious scholars. Mr. [Abbas] Kowsari recited a good elegy. I cried.