Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – October 17, 2003

Together with the governor and Imam Jumeh, we went to Noor region to visit the project under implementation of Alborz Dam. Mr. [Reza] Ardakanian, the deputy water minister of the Ministry of Energy and water managers of the province also came. We arrived at ten in the morning.

In a meeting, they presented a report on the water situation of the country, the province and the water plans of the two provinces of Mazandaran and Golestan. They also explained the construction status of the Alborz Dam and the national canal and announced the progress of the Alborz Dam work at 42%. Its construction started in 1372 with my presence, but there is a long delay. For this dam and Golord Dam, [located in Neka city], they have received credit from the Islamic Development Bank. We visited different departments.

We returned to the resort. After prayer, lunch and rest, [Mr. Kiyomarth Niazazri], the director general of information of [Mazandaran] province came. He said, the people of the province are upset with the stagnation of construction and today they understand the value of the construction period better.

[Sardar Ali Mohammad Khamsaei], the commander of Naja [= police force] came to the province. He used to be a member of Jamaran Committee. He applied to get credit for the organization of the beach. Mr. [Noorullah] Tabarsi, [Imam Jama Sari] also came. He consulted about the elections and asked for help to build a cultural complex. He also said about the weakness of the governor's management and the prevention of the movement of the extremists of Doomkhrodadi in the province.

We went to the airport through Dashtnaz and arrived in Tehran at five in the afternoon. On the way, I asked Mr. [Reza] Ardakanian, [Deputy Minister of Energy] about the Sirvan water transfer plan. I also asked about the basis for predicting a thousand-year flood in the construction of dams, but they did not have the correct answer. Usually, this prediction is the basis for the construction of dam spillways.

Karbala has been tense for two days. The occupiers were trying to arrest them when a conflict occurred. According to the report, three Americans, several Bulgarian soldiers and eight Iraqis have been killed. Many have also been injured. At night, as a military regime, they close the shrines.

News has spread that they want to arrest Moqtada Sadr. It is said that it is with the agreement of the governing council and the Americans. In Shahrkot, a large demonstration was held in support of Sadr. A group of Shiites have also been arrested in Sadr town.

Kirkuk to Baghdad oil pipeline exploded. [Donald] Rumsfeld, [US Secretary of Defense] admitted that the security situation in Iraq is deteriorating. Türkiye has said that it is ready to send 50,000 troops to Iraq. America denied the news of Moqtada Sadr's arrest order.