Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 19, 1997

First, we went to the airport and flew to Zanjan. We had breakfast on the plane. Mohsen and [Hamid] Mirzadeh, [Head of the Program and Budget Organization] and [Mohammedreza] Nematzadeh, [Minister of Industries] and Mehdi [Hashmi, CEO of Marine Equipment Company] and [Syed Hossein] Mousaviyan, [Iranian Ambassador to Germany] and [Mohammed Hossein] Adeli, [Iranian Ambassador to Canada] and [Bijan Namdar] Zanganeh, [Minister of Energy] were with him. After an official welcome and a short interview at the Zanjan airport, we took the helicopters to Angoran. We landed near the copper mine and Angoran.

We went to the mine by car. At an altitude of nearly three thousand meters, the weather was very cold there. Engineer Soltani explained about the situation of the mine, with more than 20 million tons of ore with a grade of 30% zinc and 4% lead. Then we visited the way of loading, which goes to the condensate factory for a distance of 17 kilometers by means of conveyor wire and envelopes. Engineer Ahmadi said that it would have been beneficial if they had built the road from the beginning and brought it by truck. This opinion was exactly in line with the opinion that I expressed and was denied by Mr. [Hossein] Mahlouji, [Minister of Mines and Metals]. They thought that transmission with a conveyor wire is more suitable.

Then I went to the processing factory, which built a private sector with a capacity of three thousand tons

We have opened and visited and started the second phase. Then we went to the Kalsin factory with a capacity of 14,000 tons of zinc production and they explained that the research and design of Iran itself was built with less than one million dollars. The westerners wanted 350 million dollars for the 60 thousand ton factory. They have done an important job.

After the visit, Mr. Mahluji gave a report in the staff meeting and in the same ceremony, the factory on Bandar Abbas was opened and the construction of the industrial town started. I also spoke. I explained the greatness of the work and this native technology, and I gave [Merit and Management] badge to engineer [Ali] Kolahdoz, [Deputy of Mining and Material Technology of the Ministry of Mines and Metals] and a certificate of appreciation to the managers.

The people of the villages had gathered and sacrificed dozens. I spoke to them. After prayer, lunch and rest, we went down to the water pumping center from Qezel Ozen for Barun Qashlaq plain by the Qezel Ozen river. The villagers had a huge and magnificent community. I spoke to them briefly and emphasized on the correct use of water and soil.

In the opening ceremony of the project, engineer Zanganeh and the director general of water and electricity of the province spoke and explained about the situation of water and electricity in the province and the plans of dams and power transmission lines. They have four dams under construction, eight dams under study, and eight pumping stations from the Ghazal Ozen River. I also gave an encouraging speech emphasizing the need to use the abundant water of Qezel Ozen River. We also opened the inspection plan and the electricity transmission line plan.

We went to Zanjan airport and immediately flew to Tehran. I reached my office at six in the afternoon. I read the reports. In the meeting of the Supreme National Security Council, a decision was made about how to deal with German and European issues. I stayed in my office at night.