Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – September 13, 1988

I went to the assembly early in the morning. In the reports, the pressure of the western world on Iraq is noticeable. I attended the public meeting. The results of the cabinet votes were read in the parliament. Some wanted to question Dr. [Alireza] Marandi [Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education]. They had no idea. I consoled the three deposed ministers. I returned to my office at ten o'clock. The members of the defense commission came. The quality of the commission's relationship with the armed forces and the war was discussed.

Mr. Ali Jannati came in the afternoon. The work of the command office was discussed. [Mr. Mohammad Hossein Jalali] Minister of Defense came in the evening. Military purchases were negotiated. Mr. [Khosro] Aruj [Commander of the Ansar Protection Corps] came. The problems of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were discussed. I negotiated over the phone with the Prime Minister and the President about appointing the three ministers who did not vote for those ministries. The prime minister said that he submits to the opinion of the president. Mr. Mohsen Rezaei expressed his displeasure over the fall of Mr. Rafiq Doost from the [Army] Ministry and sought a solution.

In the evening, the Expediency Council had a meeting. Bazaaris and the Ministry of Information criticized the performance of government punishments, and Mr. [Hamid] Mirzadeh and Engineer Taheri answered, and the General Inspection Organization of the country decided to investigate the disputed cases.

After dinner, we had a meeting of the leaders. Three ministers were quickly agreed upon. Mr. Dr. [Mohammed Ali] Najafi and [Gholam Ali] Haddad Adel respectively for the Ministry of Education, [Ali] Shamkhani for the Ministry of Revolutionary Guards and [Isa] Kalantari for the Ministry of Agriculture. After the anger of the Prime Minister and the attention of the Imam, the situation has improved. I arrived home late. Efat was awake until twelve o'clock at night to give him the medicine of Mehdi. I listened to the twelve night [radio] news and we slept.

Mr. [Mohammed Javad] Larijani informed that the last negotiation was done in Geneva and Dr. Velayati is going to return to Iran and then go to New York. Iraq has retreated. He had already announced that he would not go to New York.