Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – August 25, 1993

At eight in the morning, I went to Saipa [automotive] factory. [Mr. Hadinejad Hosseinian] Minister of Heavy Industries and CEO explained; Especially in the case of two new small cars, Saba and Nasim [=Pride], which were made with the technology of South Korea [Kia Company] with 50% domestic production. With a fuel consumption of 3.6 liters per hundred kilometers, it is a good and relatively cheap car.

We also visited the exhibition of radiator making, spring making, broken glass making, and component making industries. The computer manufacturing industry was interesting. Then we visited the production lines of Renault, Nissan, Saba and Nasim cars and the color line. I rode a new car in the square. After an interview, I gave a speech to the staff. I asked a few questions about the status of workers' rights; They have a good reception status.

I returned to my office. At half past four, we went to meet Ayatollah Khamenei with the members of the government delegation. Before the meeting and after the meeting, I had private talks with him about his trip to Mashhad, the Minister of Economy and Cabinet, and Mr. Montazeri, and the false rumor about his treatment, the situation in Azerbaijan, Hekmatyar's negotiations, etc. I spoke briefly in the meeting. He also had a short speech praising the members of the government and giving advice. We did not have a government meeting. I did the work until Maghrib.

Dr. Manafi reported that by taking the doctors of [Hospital] Luqman al-Dawlah to Ayatollah Montazeri, he clarified the issue of rumors and mischief for them. I talked to the governor of East Azerbaijan on the phone and told them to create a camp in Azerbaijan to help the displaced people. He said that thousands of people have come to go to Azerbaijan later. I told the Minister of Energy to either bring the facilities of Khodaafarin Dam, which is in danger to Armenians, to Iran or keep them there.