Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – August 20, 1997

At nine o'clock in the morning, we left for Alamut Qazvin. Efat, Mohsen, Kazem, Badri, Ms. and Mr. Amrollahi, [head of Atomic Energy Organization] and bodyguards were with them. At one o'clock in the afternoon, after four hours of continuous movement, we reached the site of the Nuclear Energy Organization at the end of the road in Alborz Heights. On the way, we heard Mr. Amrullahi's explanation about this site. We walked to Qazvin on the highway and from there to the site on the winding mountain asphalt road.

I took off my turban so as not to be recognized while passing through Kalaye neighborhood, the center of the district. The organization built the last twenty kilometers at a cost of one billion tomans, which is very costly. Because it has many mountains. We listened to the deliberations of the parliament all the way; The words of the opponents of the cabinet were very harsh.

Upon arrival, managers and professors and a group of students who are to be sent to Russia for training in the technical works of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, study Russian there; They welcomed warmly. A group of distinguished students of fields related to nuclear energy came from Tehran. After the prayer, we had lunch with them. I went to rest. In addition, I listened to the deliberations of the parliament, which was Mr. Khatami's last defense, which was good, and Ayatollah Khamenei's speech, which was also good. Then I visited one of the Russian language teaching classes and talked with the teacher and students.

I listened to the site manager's explanation in the office. We have started building here since the war; It is used as a training and research center for sensitive nuclear units that can be well defended against enemy attacks due to its privileged location surrounded by towering mountains.

Then, with the welcome of Mr. Amrullahi and Dr. Minoui, who recently came from France and is a scientist, I went to the group of professors and students. I talked about the importance of nuclear knowledge at this time and emphasized that the policy of the system is to strengthen this sector. Then the distinguished students and their supervisors explained their three research projects. The use of laser to treat diabetes, gastric ulcer and wound healing, which had brilliant results and received gifts. I spoke separately to the Russian language students and encouraged them.

Then I visited the earthquake measurement center. I saw a report of a mild earthquake today. Then we went for mountain climbing along the river and went to the heights and sat down next to a waterfall to rest. There, we heard on wireless that all the ministers proposed by Khatami were voted for, which was unexpected and shows the lack of cohesion of the right-wing movement in the parliament, which tried to drop three or four people and failed.

Then we went and saw the buildings and warehouses and the construction site of the heavy water factory. Several local herdsmen came and thanked the government for its services, especially the construction of a large eight-kilometer covered canal that transports a lot of water to the villages of Khushchal, Tawani and Gazerkhan. I asked many questions about their living conditions. We sat by the river to rest and eat fruit. It has a clear view and good weather.

The study and design team of heavy water production plant - Dr. Gharib and Dr. Kamali - explained about their plan. I had heard their report last year and today they told about the progress of the work. It is interesting that Russia approved the plan with brief amendments and was surprised by Iran's scientific and technical progress with a gas production unit and two evaporation and distillation units to enrich water, which can mostly be built in Iran. I encouraged them and reconfirmed and reassured them that I had allowed them to take action in the past. We had dinner. We walked a little and I slept.