Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – May 2, 1983

I studied at home until nine in the morning. The family of Martyr Motahari, who had come to visit the Imam, came to our house. They complained that [Dr. Ali] Abbaspour had been removed from the presidency of the National Research Center for Science and Industry. Mr. Amoli [Larijani] reported that the draft labor law was being revised in the interests of workers.

At ten I went to the Imam's advisory office at the Army Joint Staff headquarters; in order to strengthen the office. The Army Chief of Staff also came and we discussed army matters, including the arrest of a number of officers who were members of the Tudeh Party, especially [Captain Bahram] Afzali [Commander of the Navy]. Mr. Zahirnejad [Chief of the Army Joint Staff] was concerned that in the interview [Noureddin] Kianuri [Secretary General of the Tudeh Party] had spoken of a military branch, and said that they had called the army into question. At noon I went to my office in the Majlis.

Mr. [Reza] Mirza-Taheri, head of the [Environmental Protection Organization], came and gave a report on his trip to Kuwait and the meetings of the environmental convention. He believed that Iran's position had satisfied the countries of the region, but Iraq had been obstinate and it was clear that it wanted to gain concessions through this. Last night too [Iraqi army planes and gunboats] attacked the Nowruz oil wells and one of its gunboats was sunk. It was decided that we should show more flexibility. He believes that the direction of the wind keeps the danger away from us.

The Majlis employees came and complained about the strictness of Messrs. [Morteza] Katirai and Khoshnevisan. In the afternoon the teachers participating in the Teachers' Day seminar came. I spoke to them. Then Mr. Shams, the father of a prisoner of war, came and had brought me a letter from his son. The letter had been sent to his family through the Red Cross; I wrote a reply. Mr. [Asadollah] Lajevardi [Central Revolutionary Prosecutor] and the officials of a large workshop that they have built in Karaj for prisoners came; they gave a report and asked for help in speeding up their work. I myself have emphasized creating work and income for prisoners; given what I know about the prisoners' morale and circumstances, I am pleased with this initiative.

Then the cabinet's hardliners came and spoke about the upcoming Majlis elections. They were worried about the conservatives' victory. They believe the conservatives are strong in the party, and their disagreements with the conservative faction of the cabinet were discussed. Mr. [Mohammad-Ali] Najafi [Minister of Culture and Higher Education] complained about Ayatollah Montazeri's representative at the Teacher Training University. He says they are exceeding the limits of their authority and have caused interference in university affairs. At night I came home. Television broadcast an interview with a number of Tudeh Party leaders who confessed to spying while being members of the K.G.B.