Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 10, 1991

It rained a lot last night. I reached the office at half past seven. At nine o'clock in the morning [Mr. Abdullah Nouri], the country's minister came. They talked about the integration of police forces, elections and new governors, as well as the issues of Iraq. He doubted the authenticity of IRGC reports from inside Iraq. [Mr. Mohammad Saidi Kia], the Minister of Roads and Transportation came and gave a report on roads, ports, railways and road construction. Mr. [Abdullah] Nasiri, CEO of the Islamic Republic News Agency, [IRNA] came and consulted about news policies.

[Mr. Denis Beer], the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Czechoslovakia, came to meet and requested the capital of five European countries to build a gas pipe from Iran to Europe. I agreed. They expressed concern about being dependent on the Soviet gas pipeline. [Mr. Vasili Pavlov], Minister of Foreign Affairs [and Deputy Prime Minister] of Bulgaria came and said about the development of relations; Both ministers brought their president's invitation letter from me to visit Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia.

I was a guest of the leadership. Mr. Khamenei had sent a message to the community of teachers in connection with the letter of Mr. [Mahdi] Karroubi, [President of the Islamic Council] We talked about the situation in Iraq, Ayatollah [Sayyed Abul Qasim] Khouei, [from the authority of Najaf Ashraf resident imitation], Najaf seminary, declaration of Tehran scholars and expert assembly. It was agreed to accept our demand from the United States in exchange for some military cargoes that the United States seized and the Hague Court ordered to take the money for.