Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 1, 1983

Last night I wasn't comfortable with the feeling of loneliness in the house. I told one of the Revolutionary Guards, and he came and slept on the lower floor. They usually sleep in the adjacent courtyard. Previously they stayed awake inside the house, but for now, since we are neighbors of Imam and security in the surrounding alleys is tight, there is no need for our own guards to stand watch—either inside the house or outside. I studied until eight-thirty in the morning.

Dr. Velayati [the Foreign Minister] came. He complained about the Oil Minister's treatment of the Syrians and did not consider it appropriate given the Syrians' friendship and our own needs. He reported an airspace violation by a Soviet cargo plane that had entered our territory from Azerbaijan and then left through the Sarakhs border in Khorasan after two and a half hours. The Russians have officially apologized. They said this mistake occurred because of a malfunction in the navigation system. They have also violated the border from Afghanistan. It may not be unrelated to the Tudeh issue. They have also had issues regarding the Atrak River. Part of the river has shifted from the shared border into Soviet territory, depriving our border villages of water. Recently we have taken measures. They dredged the river and restored part of the water flow. It is possible the Soviets will take some action.

I told him about the Tudeh members' confessions so that they would be cautious, and I also emphasized that in negotiations with the Arab oil-producing countries, an understanding should be reached to prevent the fall in oil prices. Dr. Hadi was supposed to hold talks in Saudi Arabia during the Nowruz holidays; apparently he did not go. It was decided that they should also prevent the Syrians from becoming dissatisfied. Regarding the oil spill in the Persian Gulf as well, it was decided that they should act more actively.

I spoke by telephone with Mr. Khamenei. He said that he had become very tired during his trip to Hormozgan and Khorasan, and we agreed to hold a meeting in the near future to address the fronts' program and the Tudeh members' confessions. It was decided that if it is tomorrow, they will come to our house.

I entrusted the Friday prayer to Mr. Mousavi Ardabili. At noon, Faezeh and Hamid Lahouti came. Faezeh prepared lunch. She had brought questions from the Physical Education Organization for their new magazine, and I recorded my answers on tape. I told Effat and Fati to go to Nouq today as well.

In the afternoon I read some of Martyr Motahhari's book "The Legal System." I watched the Japanese film "Happy Days"; it is very interesting. It is a good promotion of work, order, patriotism, and a sense of duty. I spoke by telephone with the President and asked about the state of the war and other matters. He also had no important new developments.