Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – November 21, 1990

I reached my office at half past eight in the morning. A group of Basij members came to the sample offices. I gave a speech for them on the occasion of Basij week; They are still passionate. [Mr. Sirajuddin Kazeruni], Minister of Housing and Urban Development came. Regarding the executive plan to build 500,000 housing units in the [first five-year] program, he said that they can sell them for 10,000 tomans per meter, with a competitive and preferential currency, with twenty-year installments. He also said that they want to get new building techniques from France.

[Mr. Bruno Bottai], the special envoy of the Italian Prime Minister, came with his letter. He said more about the development of our relations with Italy and the common market. It is claimed that the United States is debating the issue of Kuwait and recently reached an understanding with Europe and the Soviet Union to act under the plan of the [United Nations] Security Council. He also said that Mr. [Giulio] Andre Otti, [Prime Minister of Italy], will come to Tehran soon. He praised Iran's new policies.

[Mr. Abdul Karim Al-Iryani], the foreign minister of Yemen came. He gave a detailed description of Yemen's losses due to the [occupation] of Kuwait, in terms of cutting off aid and expelling Yemeni immigrants to Kuwait. It is claimed that although Saudi Arabia is afraid of war, it surrenders to American pressure. He asked us for help: Neft Niseh.

Ahmad Agha Telefoni said that the leadership has appointed Mr. [Ismail] Ferdowsipour as a representative for the issue of pilgrims to Karbala, and this has offended Mr. [Syed Mahdi] Imam Jamarani, [head of the endowment and charity organization], and he has resigned from the position of representative for the issue of pilgrims to Syria.

In the evening, I attended the meeting of the government board. The discussion about the budget notes was on the agenda; We reached Note 10. I worked in my office until nine in the evening and came home. Yasser has gone to Rafsanjan.