Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – February 4, 1992

I reached my office at eight in the morning. Mr. [Mohsen] Nourbakhsh, [Mohammed Hossein] Adeli and [Sirajuddin] Kazrooni came and a decision was made about the mortgage; I resolved their disagreement. Mr. Noorbakhsh said the progress of negotiations with the World Bank for project credits.

Mr. Mohadi, the commander of the security forces, came. He said the needs of protection and the necessity of more care for protection. We want the inspection of those who come to our house to be more serious and accurate.

Mr. Mohsen Rezaei, [commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] came. He gave a report on a delegation's trip to northern Iraq and met with [Jalal] Talibani and [Masoud] Barzani and reviewed the situation in Kurdistan and said that Kurdistan is actually in the hands of groups and Iraq has no forces except in the city of Kirkuk. The Kurds have demanded economic exchanges with Iran. Negotiated about the IRGC's contracting actions in construction projects. I said that something should be considered for the security guards who could not go to the front and are deprived of rank points for this reason.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba came. He brought Mr. [Fidel] Castro's letter and asked for the development of relations. Dr. Rouhani came in the evening. Reported the trip to Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe. He said that the Muslims of South Africa want relations between Iran and South Africa and say that apartheid is no more and Namibia was made very well by white people. The president of Kenya has asked for help to win the elections. He suggested that the Umrah trips should be left to the caravans and the government should not interfere.

The Supreme National Security Council had a meeting. The report on the possibility of a military [coup] in Iraq was investigated; Although the probability of truth of the reports is low, but it is important. It was decided that the armed forces would be ready to act according to the order and discuss the issue with Syria. Because it has been claimed, as they have informed Iran, they have also sent a messenger to Syria. They have asked us to recognize and not go to Baghdad the forces of Badr in case of action.

I was a guest of Ayatollah Khamenei for dinner. We discussed the purchase of sensitive goods, the issue of possible action by the military in Iraq, the issues of Turkey, arrogant propaganda, and the future possibilities of these issues, Ayatollah Khamenei's trip to Qom, and a possible meeting with Mr. Montazeri, and the ranks of the military forces, and the current issues of the country.

I arrived home at nine o'clock at night. The failed coup in Venezuela is important in the news.