After the morning prayer, I reviewed my plans for today and read the related information. Today, because the weather was cloudy, we did not use helicopters, and for this reason, some disruptions occurred in the plans. We went by car to the Numel [= Kosar] dam, where
After the morning prayer, I reviewed my schedule for the day and read the relevant background information. Due to cloudy weather, we could not use helicopters, which caused some disruptions to the planned itinerary.
We traveled by car to the site of the Numel [Kowsar] Dam, which was constructed by the IRGC (Sepah). It is an embankment dam designed to regulate 15 million cubic meters of water for the irrigation of 4,000 hectares of land. The official ceremony took place, followed by a briefing and the opening of the water discharge valve. The surrounding mountainous region features beautiful forests that have the potential to become a tourist destination in the future. Villagers gathered along the route and expressed their warm sentiments.
From there, we headed toward Bandar-e Gaz, passing through the city of Kordkuy. Although some people had gathered along the streets, Mr. Mohammad Ghasemkia—their representative, who was traveling with us in the car—had expected a larger turnout; however, the local residents were likely unaware that we were passing through. We drove through several streets in the city before continuing to Bandar-e Gaz. There, we were met by a large, enthusiastic, well-organized, and devout (Hezbollahi) crowd. A particularly moving moment featured a well-performed anthem and a poem dedicated to me, recited by the children of martyrs. The Friday Prayer Imam delivered a good address, and I also gave a speech in which I promised to revitalize the port. I instructed Mr. Torkan—the Minister of Roads and Transportation, who was accompanying me—to begin the construction of a pier, and we visited the site of the old pier. The Friday Prayer Imam presented me with a photograph taken of Mr. Bahonar and me during our youth; the picture had been captured during a visit to Bandar-e Torkaman—known at the time as Bandar-e Shah. We traveled to Bandar Torkaman. The regional representative accompanied us in our vehicle and provided excellent insights. Although the majority of the population in Bandar Torkaman are Sunni, their welcome was exceptionally warm. The Friday Prayer Imam—himself a Sunni—also extended a gracious welcome. For my part, I delivered remarks intended to inspire confidence and foster unity.
We visited the railway station and the railway repair facility; it was quite interesting, particularly the renovation of railcars, which increases passenger capacity and results in foreign currency savings. We then inspected the old pier, which is currently in a dilapidated state. We also observed the coastal stabilization works designed to counter the encroachment of the Caspian Sea. Traveling by boat, we visited Ashuradeh Island. Given the current dynamics of the Caspian Sea and the nations of Central Asia, the Gorgan Bay, Miankaleh, Bandar Torkaman, and Bandar-e Gaz region hold a bright future. With the directive to reconstruct the port and establish a free trade zone, the local population is highly optimistic that they will overcome the current economic stagnation.
Prayer and lunch were conducted in a hurried manner. We then departed by train for Behshahr, where I managed to get some rest during the journey. We arrived in Behshahr at 3:30 PM. The gathering there was remarkable and magnificent. The Friday Prayer Imam, Seyyed Saber Jabbari, and the city’s representative, Mohammad-Hassan Jamshidi Ardeshiri, delivered welcoming remarks. There was a fine musical performance, and my own address was intended to be encouraging.
We then set off toward the Amirabad port, which is currently under construction. Crowds had gathered in the city of Neka and in the villages along our route; a significant amount of time was spent acknowledging their warm displays of affection. After a considerable delay, we arrived in Amirabad in the early evening. The visit to Behshahr was an addition to the original schedule, and the overland travel took longer than expected.
In Amirabad, I received a briefing regarding the 22 fishing and multi-purpose piers being developed by the Construction Jihad, and we inspected a breakwater currently under construction. I was feeling extremely cold. From there, we proceeded to the SADRA shipbuilding complex.
Mr. Aghazadeh [Minister of Petroleum], Mr. Nejad-Hosseinian [Minister of Heavy Industries], and Mr. Khobreh provided explanations, and we toured the project’s operational facilities. They are constructing advanced offshore drilling platforms using technical know-how from Finland; they also engage in shipbuilding. The massive, 100-meter-tall jack-up platform—with its immense scale—is truly remarkable.
Afterward, we made a brief visit to the Neka Power Plant and received a briefing. We then set off for Sari, arriving quite late—at 10:30 PM. Our first stop was at the seminary of Mr. [Seyyed Razi] Shafiei, where we met with the seminary students. Later, we had dinner at the seminary of Mr. Nazari. (The visit to Mr. Shafiei’s seminary had been added to the itinerary.) We arrived at the Governor-General’s office at 11:30 PM. I wrote down my diary entries and caught the midnight news. The issue regarding the Russian hostages remains unresolved.
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