Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – November 28, 1990

I reached my office at half past seven in the morning. The work was done. [Mr. Mohammad Saidi Kia], the Minister of Roads and Transportation came. He said about the ongoing project of Bafaq-Bandar Abbas railway; I emphasized that it should be done in one stroke. I wanted the Tehran-Chalus road plan to be prepared, which the IRGC wants to be the contractor for.

Mr. [Gholamreza] Faruzesh, Minister of Jihad Construction, came. He presented the report of his trip to African countries and the plans that Jihad is implementing in Ghana, Sierra Leone and Sudan. He asked for facilities for the development of construction measures and advised to strengthen relations with Sudan, whose people are associated with the Islamic Revolution of Iran.

The Supreme Administrative Council had a meeting. The proposed bill for the coordinated payment system was in order; Its generalities were approved. In the evening, I attended the meeting of the government board. The budget is in order.

At night, parliamentarians and ministers were my guests; It was a good meeting. Several representatives raised questions and criticisms, and Mr. [Mahdi] Karroubi, [Chairman of the Islamic Shura], while praising me, criticized the experts' issues [related to the parliamentary elections] and complained about the exclusion of his friends and himself, as well as my lack of support.

I spoke in detail. I told the situation of the region and answered the criticisms. Radicals are upset with the contents of my recent Friday sermon; They have taken it to themselves; I convinced them that they should not take it upon themselves. It means to oppose extremism; From each person and group. I came home after dinner.