Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – August 23, 1989

I did the work and exercised for a while. I usually exercise more in the morning after the new back pain starts. Dr. [Mohammed Ali] Hadi [Iranian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates] came. He said some of the weaknesses of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While accepting Dr. Velayati, he claims that he does not spend enough time for work. He considers many ambassadors and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be inexperienced and uneducated.

Our ambassadors, who are having a seminar these days, came. I gave them a detailed talk explaining the current situation and we took a picture together.

Mr. [Qorban Ali] came to the door of Najafabadi. He said something about the situation of Ayatollah Montazeri and that he feels empty and thinks that the appropriate result is not obtained from his existential reserves in the domain and society.

Dr. Tabatabai and Dr. Jazayeri came to examine my back and legs, and I said it was a little better. Engineer [Mohammed] Gharehi [Minister of Post, Telegraph and Telephone] came. He wanted to increase his foreign exchange share in the telecommunication sector for the five-year plan.

[Mr. Seyed Morteza Tabatabai] the mayor of Tehran came. He reported on his trip to Japan and proposed the annexation of Tehran Municipality to the presidential body, which I said is a reverse policy and we intend to send executive organizations such as physical education and environment to another place in the future.

Mr. [Masoud Roghani] Zanjani came. The five-year plan and the responsibility of the program and budget organization were discussed. He is bored and prefers to be left to someone else. Mr. [Masoud] introduces Nili. Mr. [Hossein] Marashi, the governor of Kerman, came. He asked that Mohammad's brother not follow the case of the ousted Eskandari; I told Muhammad. [Mr. Marashi] expressed his readiness to go to Sistan and Baluchistan to solve the problems there.

Mr. Mahdinejad and Seddighi came from the IRGC. They reported on their trip to Afghanistan and meeting with Ahmad Shah Massoud. They were influenced by his military strength and jihad. They gave interesting tips about the road and situation of the region and their facilities.