Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 25, 1988

At five o'clock in the morning, Mr. Mohammad Faruzandeh from Ahvaz informed that starting at half past three in the morning, the enemy is pouring heavy fire along with all kinds of chemical bombs on Majnoon Island, Talaiyeh and Aqaba, and communication with Majnoon Island is cut off, except through the hospital phone.

I told Dr. Velayati and [Mohammed Javad [Larijani] to speed up the [United Nations Security Council] inspection team, which is supposed to come to Iran to investigate the use of chemical weapons. They had already delayed the trip due to some traces of the previous chemical bombing.

I told Mr. [Ali Shamkhani] the acting commander of the IRGC to go to the region. He had come to Tehran for the General Staff. At seven o'clock in the morning, Mr. Mohammad [Farouzandeh], the Chief of the General Staff of the IRGC, informed that the enemy had broken the army line in Talaiyeh and crossed the trench pad and the eastern pad of the island from an ambush and were caught in the line, and some of the chemically injured people had been brought to Ahvaz. Due to the weak connection with the island, there is little information.

I went to visit the Imam to get the last theory; They said resistance until the end. I went to the parliament. The news came about the enemy's continued progress and heavy casualties. The meeting of the heads of forces was held in the office of Ayatollah Khamenei. I told the story of the meeting with the Imam, who gave the order to resist until the end. It was decided to mobilize all facilities for the continuation of the defense and the government to enter the war

The Prime Minister will head the headquarters. I returned to my office with a group of ministers. I followed the issues of the front.

In the evening, the prime minister and the proposed members of his staff came. We reached an agreement about the members of the headquarters. They were supposed to start work. Mr. [Alireza] Afshar came with a group of IRGC leaders. Negotiations were held to equip the force. The heads of forces had a meeting again in the office of Mr. Mousavi Ardabili. It was decided to negotiate with the imam again to complete the proof. The latest news indicated the complete fall of Majnoon and Hur islands.

We went to visit the Imam with Mr. Khamenei, Ahmad Agha and Mousavi Ardabili. We prayed Maghrib and Isha with them. We gave the necessary explanations about the war situation and the possible consequences of the continuation of the war. Again, they emphasized on the continuation of the war. We came out, divided the work and dispersed. At night, they informed that the enemy, who had reached Ahvaz-Khorramshahr road, had retreated.