Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 15, 1983

Before noon, I was studying and writing at home. Dr. Velayati [Foreign Minister] called by telephone to consult about helping some groups in Palestine; they are asking us for assistance. It was decided that, after further consultation about them, the Afghans, and other movements, we would make a decision.

In the afternoon, near iftar, [Ayatollah] Mr. Khamenei came to our home to attend the Supreme Defense Council meeting; before the meeting, we discussed more private matters: the problem between the Imam's representatives in the Revolutionary Guards and the Guards' command. They are at odds with Mr. Faker and are also afraid of the reactions if he is removed.  We discussed the weakness of the officials responsible for propaganda, the establishment of the "Foundation for Compiling the History of the Revolution" under the direction of Mr. [Abdolmajid] Moaadi-Khah, and how to deal with the issue of Seyyed Mohammad-Hossein Hakim, who has come from Iraq to Iran and said that three—and possibly six—of the Al Hakim clerics were executed by gunfire in his presence and were told, "Go to Iran and tell Mr. Seyyed Mohammad-Baqer that this is our message, and if you yourself do not return, we will execute your children." It was decided that appropriate propaganda should be carried out regarding this matter. At iftar, the [members of the] Supreme Defense Council were my guests. After iftar, we went to the Imam's office for discussions; because of the crowd, there was no suitable place at our home. We discussed the three helicopters that had recently been hijacked in the southern Persian Gulf and several pilots who had defected, and the efforts of the U.S. Embassy to encourage others, which had not been successful, and it was decided that a committee would investigate the causes of the defections and ways to prevent them. A report was also given on the situation at the fronts and in Lebanon.