Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – October 16, 2003

We went to Noor city from the side road. On the way, Mr. [Ansari], the governor [of Mazandaran] and Mr. [Tabarsi], Imam Juma [Sari], gave explanations. A commemoration ceremony for 598 martyrs was held in the new mosque of Noor. Mr. [Mohammadi] Farmandar, [Sheikh Mofid Fayazi], Imam Juma and [Ahmad Natiq Nouri], the representative of the city, reported. I also gave a speech on the status and greatness of martyrs.

For lunch and rest, we went to the welfare and cultural complex of the Ministry of Oil in Mahmudabad. With explanations, we saw different parts of it. It is vast and huge, with 220 hectares, two thousand residential units, recreational and educational facilities and a good, clean and luxurious beach. Started in 1342, it was recently completed due to its size. The summit of heads of Islamic countries and heads of OPEC was supposed to be held there, but it did not happen.

In the evening, we went to the banknote paper factory near Amol. Dr. [Ebrahim] Shaibani, head of Central Bank, also came from Tehran. We visited different departments. Explanations were given by Dr. Abbasi, the project manager. Since 1369, when the banknote printing press was opened in Tehran, I had ordered them to produce banknote paper and securities documents. It was done with a long delay and has a capacity of 2,500 tons of paper, the primary material of which is cotton.

We went to Babylon to open the library of Khatam al-Anbiya School, which the late Ayatollah [Hadi] Rouhani, the former Imam of Jummah [of Babylon], had started with my help and which was recently completed. [Mr. Mojtaba Rouhani], his son, who is now the Friday Imam, gave a report at the ceremony and I spoke about the necessity of developing libraries and providing information.  

We arrived late. Dr. Shaibani also came. He expressed concern about the possibility of Iran's nuclear case being referred to the Security Council and also requested to raise the dollar rate in proportion to inflation.

The [United Nations] Security Council approved the American resolution on Iraq with amendments, but Russia, Germany and France have said that they are not ready to help America with force and money!! The Iraqi Governing Council welcomed it. [Organization] of the Islamic Conference criticized. The European Union has made a sharp statement about human rights in Iran, and Iran has given a sharp answer to it.