Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 30, 1986

Today I was at home with Yasir and Mehdi. I spent most of my time studying. Mr. Rezaei informed that the situation on the fronts is calm. The IRGC forces have been strengthened in the northwest, and this issue has raised the morale of the army and the IRGC. I asked Dr. Velayati [Foreign Affairs Minister] about the status of foreign relations. It was not new news. I talked with Dr. Rouhani about the state of war and the pursuit of decisions.

In the afternoon [Mr. Gholamreza] Aghazadeh [Oil Minister] came and gave the full report of the OPEC meetings. He consulted for the future meetings and it was agreed that every effort should be made to maintain the price of oil and to be active in relation with Saudi Arabia.

Mr. [Mohsen] Kongerlo [prime minister's adviser] came and said that four people are ready to come to Iran to negotiate about the American hostages in Lebanon and implement the program of sending defense needs in exchange for our help for their freedom. I agreed to come.

Mr. Mohsen Rezaei came. It was suggested that I hand over the command of the war to him and put the ground force [army] under his operational control. I agreed with the hiring of an honorary guard for six months, to strengthen the corps of the IRGC forces, as well as the formation of the headquarters of the IRGC forces outside the territory of the IRGC Council and that they write a letter to the Imam.

At the end of the night, Mr. Rezaei informed that the enemy has collected mines in the Panjvin region and is apparently planning to attack. They informed from the southern front that about 15 Iraqi soldiers have come to us for asylum, half of them were shot from behind by Iraqi forces and the rest have arrived. They say that the situation of the Iraqi army is bad.