Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – March 27, 1996

Early in the morning we went to the ceremony for the start of tree-planting under the two-thousand-hectare palm plantation project belonging to the New Orchard Organization. I planted a palm and visited the neighboring palms, the alfalfa field, and the water well. Then, to visit the watershed management project being implemented by Construction Jihad, which is being carried out in the form of aquifer management, we flew to the site of the Ab-Barik River in the Rigan-Narmashir region. We heard explanations; it seemed interesting to me. It is a new method inspired by Australia, but because we have a more suitable nature, our situation is better than theirs, and a good example has been implemented in Fasa, Shiraz, by Engineer [Seyyed-Ahang] Kowsar, called the Kowsar Plan, over 1,300 hectares, with brilliant results. Its method is as follows: at the mouths of rivers where there are coarse-grained alluvial deposits of suitable depth, by spreading floodwaters in the upstream areas, the waters infiltrate underground and are stored, enriching the region's qanats and wells, and water is injected into the region's forests.

They said that with this method, in the identified areas of Iran, we can cover 14 million hectares, which would yield eight million hectares of new farmland, and in that same region they said that 20 thousand hectares of forest and 40 thousand hectares of new farmland would be obtained by harnessing 350 million cubic meters of water, which is very huge, and the cost of the project is also low compared to dams.

We visited their exhibition and heard the explanations of the engineers and Mr. [Gholam-Reza] Forouzash, [Minister of Construction Jihad]. I gave a speech on the virtues of the project and to encourage them. Then, among the surrounding villagers who had gathered around the tent with drums and tambourines, I spoke and told them of the benefits of the project, and I unveiled the project's stone inscription and saw the implemented samples.

Then we flew by helicopters toward Jazmurian. On the way, Sardar [Qasem] Soleimani, commander of the 41st Tharallah Division, gave good explanations. His information is greater than that of the Governor-General who was with us, because he is local and intelligent. We passed over the Shur, Aghin, and Halil Rud rivers and Lake Jazmurian. We saw several settlements of nomadic tribes with their huts and tents. It is the first time I have seen Jazmurian. It is the high-water season, and because of this year's abundant rain it is much fuller of water, and fodder is visible in part of it.

We landed in the Solan region, in the Qaleh-Ganj district of Kahnuj. The surrounding nomads had a huge gathering. At the ceremony, Messrs. [Gholam-Reza] Forouzash, [Qasem] Soleimani, and the agriculture official gave good explanations of the region's development plan. By digging and equipping about six hundred deep wells in the Kahnuj and Jiroft region and handing them over to the nomads free of charge, the program for settling and organizing the nomads is being implemented. Each household is given about eight hectares of land and a one-twelfth share of a water pump. The Kalat-e Malek region is extremely rich in water and has good lands.

At the gathering of managers, I spoke on the importance of the work and the development around Jazmurian, and after hearing the remarks of the nomad education official, I spoke about the importance of educating them and strengthening boarding schools. Then I spoke to the people; explaining the importance of the government's services, I asked them to take advantage of this opportunity.

Together with the nomad affairs official, we went to a farm and well that had been handed over to them last year. Twelve households were living under tents made entirely of palm-grove waste—palm wood and palm leaves—covered with mats woven from palm fiber, and their carpet was also matting. With abundant water and plenty of good land, but because they have no experience or love for farming, they do not benefit well.

One of the farmers, named Urmohammad, came. He started the motor and answered questions about the produce, but his answers were incomplete. In his tent, I asked his wife, mother, and child about their lives. It turned out they have sheep in the flock and receive bread, sugar, oil, and their child's powdered milk from government coupons. I gave a half-Bahar Azadi gold coin as a New Year gift. Time is needed for these people to move from nomadic culture to village and farming life.

We returned to the headquarters. After prayers, lunch, and a rest, we watched the nomads' camel racing, in which they stood on the camels and made them run. Mr. Karami, the chief of the Beyt tribe, came and expressed great devotion and wanted to give me several camels and two hundred hectares of land as a gift; I accepted only the camel. I said he should keep it for me, and I gave him two half-coins as a gift. I also gave two half-coins to the children of a missing-in-action soldier.

For the start of executive work on the Narmashir Dam, we flew toward the Nesa Valley in the Jebal Barez mountains. Because of the wind, the helicopters did not come to the site. We went part of the way by car. At the dam site, Messrs. Vakili and Rashidi gave explanations. The earth dam, to regulate 150 million cubic meters of water for 9,600 hectares of Narmashir land, is being built at a cost of 15 billion tomans, and its contractor is the Ground Forces of the Revolutionary Guards. Until now it was called the Nesa Dam, and it was decided that it should be "Narmashir."

I gave an encouraging speech on the importance of harnessing water in that region. Then I myself took the wheel of the Patrol and drove twenty kilometers on the mountainous dirt road to the helicopters' location; although I have not driven for about twenty years, I drove well, and it surprised my companions.

The Nesa Valley is green in this season, with qich and eskomil bushes and a full river. We flew straight to the airport, and at the airport we had a detailed interview with IRIB about the trip's programs. After saying goodbye to those seeing us off, we flew toward Tehran.

On the way we had useful conversations with Messrs. [Hamid] Mirzadeh, [Head of the Plan and Budget Organization], [Hossein] Mar'ashi, [Head of the President's Office], [Mohammad-Reza] Nematzadeh, [Minister of Industries], [Gholam-Reza] Forouzash, [Minister of Construction Jihad], and [Mohammad-Baqer] Qalibaf, [Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya (pbuh) Construction Headquarters]. We reached Tehran at eight at night. Now, at ten at night, I have finished writing several pages of memoirs, and dinner, which the bodyguards had prepared, has been eaten. Faezeh has also gone to the north, and the other children are traveling, and I am alone. I asked them to call Effat in London so that I could find out about her condition and the result of her treatment.