Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – October 21, 1997

Mr. [Mahmoudreza] Sajjadi, [Director of Technology and Innovation Cooperation Center] and a group of his colleagues came to the Technology Recruitment Office; I founded it myself in the institution of the presidency. He gave a good report on the success of attracting valuable technologies. He presented an analysis of the right way of development and the main factors of development that have relied on various cases in different parts of the world; For example, human power, labor, natural resources, information and industries. The latest theories are focused on sensitive technologies. They thanked for the establishment of this office and support and hope that the new government will continue the work. I also encouraged them.

Mr. [Syed Abbas] Paknejad, representative of Yazd, came. He thanked for the attention to Yazd and the country's development and asked for guidance for his brother who has chosen his doctoral thesis on the "Assembly for the Expediency of the Nizam". He expressed his concern about the beginning of opposition in the parliament with the new government, which Mr. [Mohammed] Farhadi, [Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education] was questioned today.

Mr. [Reza] Abdullahi, the representative of Mah Nishan, came. As always, he emphasized the need to eliminate subsidies, especially the bread subsidy, and praised the adjustment and construction policy and expressed concern about the non-continuation of that policy in the new government. He quoted a part of the meeting of the Supreme Council of Economy, where Mr. Khatami, [President], complained about the lack of efficiency and effective expertise of his colleagues and said that if this situation continues, he may share it with the people. He asked me to help. He said, oppositions are also forming in the parliament.

Mr. [Mohammed] Asghari came. He complained to Mr. Khatami for not referring the post to him; Even though he supported him in the elections and asked me to help him to work with Akhvi Mohammad, [Executive Vice President]. Mr. [Gholamreza]'s evening came. He expressed concern about the inefficiency of the new administration in Jihad [construction] and quoted Mr. [Ali] Shamkhani, [Minister of Defense], about the weakness of the administration of the new government and said that he was invited to manage Atka [Army Supply Union]; I told him to accept.

Mr. [Mohsen] Rezaei came. I justified him for correct behavior in the position of the secretary of the assembly. Mr. [Mehdi] Safari, our ambassador in Russia, came. He gave a report on cooperation in special affairs. He brought a plan for my trip to Russia, which I said, if I can, I will travel next year.