Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 10, 1981

I replied to the letters that had been sent to the house by people seeking assistance. I arrived at the Parliament at seven in the morning. We had a public session. Mehdi, whose school was closed, came to the Parliament with me.

The bill setting a limited deadline for the President to sign Parliament’s resolutions was under discussion. The liberals were obstructing the proceedings by delaying their arrival in the chamber and then through calculated absences. Although I was angry, I controlled myself. The proposals were being considered, and we constantly needed a quorum of 180 members. It was difficult to keep the Parliament under control. Finally, the bill was passed, and the debates were generally to the President’s disadvantage, as were the speeches made before the agenda—except for the remarks of Mr. [Mohammad-Javad] Hojjati Kermani, who attacked both sides and called for unity; he was strongly criticized by the representatives.

At noon, Ahmad Agha Khomeini came to the Parliament to consult with Mr. Khamenei about the future of the Army, and they made some decisions.

In the afternoon, I devoted most of my time to my work, studying reports, and replying to letters. The people in charge of the Azadegan newspaper came and complained about the newspaper’s poverty, shortages, and losses. They were looking for a solution, and it was decided that they would negotiate with the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the Foundation, and the party.

I also gave an interview to the Urvat al-Wuthqa magazine about the current situation. Early in the evening, I came home, but I was invited to Mr. Beheshti’s home for consultation on an urgent matter. Ahmad Agha was also present. The Imam had asked us to give our opinion regarding the command of the armed forces. The Imam had decided to remove Mr. Bani-Sadr from this position. The view was that, for the time being, the Imam himself should assume command, and that later, when there was more time, a solution should be considered. His dismissal was announced in derogatory terms.

Mr. Bani-Sadr is in Kermanshah and apparently, on the Imam’s orders, is under surveillance to prevent him from fleeing the country. The Army Command had also, before his dismissal, effectively declared him without a position in Communiqué No. 530. Mr. Bani-Sadr had placed greater trust in Army Command. Apparently, he has declared this announcement illegal; presumably, he does not consider the Imam’s dismissal of him legal either.