Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – September 18, 1989

I came to my office at half past seven in the morning. I did the work until nine o'clock. [Mr. Isa Kalantari] Minister of Agriculture and deputies came. They explained the plans and complained about the interference of duties with Jihad [construction], and they expressed their disagreement with the Ministry of Energy regarding the Khuzestan sugarcane development plan, and I decided to take action to resolve them. The Ministry of Energy says that it does not have enough water, except after closing the Karun dams. They also talked about forests, pastures, loans and other matters.

Mr. [Asghar] Ebrahimi, CEO of Metro Company, came. Reported work. It is hoped that the construction of tunnels and stations will be finished by the end of 2019, and if the equipment is supported, operation will begin in 2011. Sixteen billion tomans are the expenses of the plan, of which one billion dollars is the foreign exchange cost. He has identified two stone mines, which he claims will be able to cover foreign exchange expenses [for metro equipment] if we open his hand for extraction and sale. I promised support, but it is unlikely that the promises will be fulfilled.

Imam Juma Zahedan and the governor [of Sistan and Baluchistan] came. They told about the problems of the province. Especially the Afghans and their moral corruption and smuggling, political disturbances and Sunni religious schools, and the influence of regional parliament members on the politics of chiefs and khans, and the solution is to give more power to the governor and give more facilities to the region. I said that the behavior of the government should be such that the Sunnis do not feel discriminated and also the disadvantaged areas and ethnic groups feel justice.

Mr. [Mohsen] Qaraati [Head of the Literacy Movement Organization] came and said that due to the lack of funds, he has reduced literacy activities. I said wait and see how we can give more. Dr. Habibi came for the affairs of the institution and the country, negotiations were held. I told Mr. Fallahian [Information Minister] to speed up the dispatch of Iraqi forces to the point that Mr. Aghamohammadi proposed.

In the evening, the members of the program and budget committee of the parliament came. The five-year plan was discussed. Mr. Adeb, the prime minister's liaison with the clerics, came. He decided to continue his work. Mr. Zanjani came for financial affairs. Mr. Dr. [Mohammed Ali] Hadi [Iranian ambassador to the United Arab Emirates] came to the UAE for a farewell trip and was allowed to take action to solve the problem of the American damages regarding the downing of the Airbus plane to get full damages; I agreed.