Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – February 23, 1991

I reached my office around nine o'clock in the morning. I was delayed because of the snow on the way. Radio directors came. Akhvi Mohammad, [head of Sada and Vesima Organization], gave a report and I spoke to them in detail. [Mr. Yiteng Fucheg], Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of China came. He brought a message from [Mr. Shan Kan], the President of China. He thanked us for our peaceful efforts and expressed his willingness to cooperate.

Dr. [Hasan] Habibi came for current affairs. I said that tomorrow the Guardian Council will give an opinion against the parliament's plan to reduce the price of gasoline, which is against Article 75 of the Constitution. I also warned Mr. [Ahmad] Janati, [guardian council member] on the phone about this.

In the evening, the Supreme National Security Council had a meeting. The possibility of a ground conflict between Iraq and its allies and Dr. Velayati's trip to Oman to examine ways of regional cooperation and help the Iraqi people were discussed. At night, we were guests of Mr. Khamenei with Mr. Ahmad Agha and Dr. Velayati. The issues raised in the meeting of the Supreme National Security Council.

[Soviet leader] Mr. [Mikhail] Gorbachev telephoned from Moscow. We negotiated in detail. It took 27 minutes. He was upset that he did not get anywhere in the negotiations with the United States and said that he has talked with the leaders of important and influential countries in the world, including Germany, England, Italy, and France, to cooperate in convening an emergency meeting of the [United Nations] Security Council. He asked me to help in this way. I said that if Iraq starts withdrawing, the problem may be solved. We decided to try in this direction as well.

I came home In the news of TV Channel Two, it was reported that America has ordered a ground attack on Iraqi forces.