Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – February 23, 1994

We left home to visit the National Library in Niavaran. The repository of manuscript books and non-Persian books on Islam and Iranology was visited. The board of trustees had a meeting about the main building of the library. I think the staff came more than needed. An interview was conducted.

We went to Niavaran Palace. I visited the palace library. It has a good library. Various parts of Niarvan and Sahibqaranieh palaces were visited, as well as the living things and decorations of the palace and the royal family of Shah and Farah and the children. It is well maintained; It also has interesting points.

I went to my office. Mr. [Mustafa] Moezanzadeh and Hashemzaei came. They gave a report on the work of Sarcheshme, Midok and Sangun copper and development and repair programs and export and domestic consumption.

Mr. [Ali] Larijani, [the new head of the Broadcasting Organization] came. He spoke about the state of the radio and television and expressed his satisfaction with the forces removed during the time of Mohammad [Hashemi] and the way it was administered and said that many changes are not necessary. He complained about the cancellation of the deposit program by Mohammad. He said that he will make changes in the programs in order to make them more attractive and remove heavy and boring programs such as some heavy and repetitive lectures and reports in the news. He asked for more help.

Mr. [Mohammed Hasan] Rahimian, Kalantari and Karimian came from the Shahid Foundation. They gave a report on the status of industries and commercial, service and technical companies, as well as the foundation's real estate. About 160 companies and more than 3000 competitors have confiscated properties or are under guardianship. It is strange that all these assets provide only a small part of the expenses; While the Shahid Foundation receives 40 billion Tomans from the government, all these assets give less than 1 billion Tomans.

In the evening, the government board had a meeting. The governor of Gilan gave a report on the reconstruction of the earthquake affected areas. It is honorable. We had approvals. I came home after breaking the fast. Today, an earthquake with a magnitude of six on the Richter scale shook the villages of Ab Sefid in the north of Zabul and caused casualties.