Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – August 22, 1991

[Mikhail] Gorbachev arrived in Moscow this morning and people have celebrated the defeat of the coup, but [Boris] Yeltsin's character has shone more than Gorbachev and Westerners are raising him in front of Gorbachev. In America, it has been explicitly said that the era of Gorbachev is over and the era of Yeltsin has begun.

Medical students came in and out. [Dr. Reza Malekzadeh], Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education] reported. They read Quran and hymns. I spoke for them.

Mr. [Ali Asghar] Marwarid came. He gave a report on the work of his research center [Iranian Islamic Revolution Foundation] and asked for help; I promised to help. We had a meeting with the Board of Trustees of Imam Hossein (AS) University. They reported the situation and asked for help for development. Mr. [Mohsen] Rezaei, [Commander-in-Chief of IRGC], privately complained about dealing with him on the issue of the failed operation that the IRGC had against the hypocrites in the past months.

[Dr. Fathi Shaghaghi, Secretary General and] members of the Central Council of the [Islamic] Jihad of Palestine came. They provided an analysis of the current situation in Palestine. They expressed despair from the Arab governments and expressed hope for the Islamic Republic; I encouraged them. I worked in my office until five in the afternoon and came home. I used the swimming pool to relieve my back pain.

[Mr. Vladimir Gudev], the Soviet ambassador, brought a message from Gorbachev; Interestingly, yesterday I had a message from Gennady Yanaev, the leader of the coup, that both of them said that they would continue friendly cooperation with Hossein.