Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – May 7, 1986

First, we went to Imam Ali's base. A group of clerics are being trained to be sent to the front. A number of women are also being trained for military training. They paraded; It was magnificent. I spoke for them. I participated in the meeting of the government board in the presence of the president. The discussion was about solutions to deal with the fall in oil prices and budget deficit in Riyal and foreign currency, which lasted until half past eleven. Decisions were made. We will have a lot of problems.

They informed that the Tehran refinery was bombed and there was a severe fire. Red status announced. I came to my office. The Air Force says that the radars did not see the attacking planes at all, and until 12 noon, they thought that there was an explosion. Later, they accepted that it was an enemy plane, but they believed that it was non-Iraqi.

The Minister of Oil says that one unit of the refinery is completely damaged and the other can be repaired. We will have a fuel problem. I told Mr. Rezaei that the artillery should hit the industries around Basra. I told the person in charge of the surface-to-surface missile to get ready. I also told the Air Force to be ready to retaliate. Mr. [Ali] Aghamohammadi came in the afternoon. Special operations in Iraq were discussed.

In the evening, the chairman of the parliament had a meeting. Mr. [Mahdi] Karroubi [the head of Iranian pilgrims] said that we have decided to reduce the currency of pilgrims from 1300 Saudi riyals to 500 riyals. In the evening, the red situation was announced and the anti-aircraft guns were activated. Later it turned out that no plane had come to the vicinity of Tehran.

Mr. [Mohsen] Rafiq Dost came and reported on his trip to Libya and Syria and said that the Syrians have said that the French have expressed their readiness to sell two billion dollars worth of weapons to Iran and the British are ready to give them Rapier missiles.

Mr. Amrullahi came and brought an offer from a person in Syria who was under the supervision of the Syrian Ministry of Intelligence and said that he is ready to sell us some goods worth more than one billion dollars to pay the debts of Syria. In the meeting of the leaders, this proposal was approved under the condition of lowering the price and full confidence.

Mr. [Mohsen] Kongerlo informed by phone that the Americans said that on the 17th of May [28 Ardibehesht] they will bring half of the requested [missile] parts to Iran with an apparently German delegation, and after arranging the release of the hostages in Lebanon, they will bring the rest.

In the evening, the president and the prime minister were my guests. It was agreed on retaliating against Iraq and buying goods and the arrival of Americans.