Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – October 9, 1993

After the morning prayer, listening to the news, bathing, pilgrimage, and eating breakfast, we went to the airport and flew by helicopters toward Torbat-e Jam. We arrived at 8:30 in the morning. The massive gathering of people in the stadium, both Sunni and Shiite, and their warm feelings were interesting to me. The student Basij choir group had an interesting anthem and sang very well. The Friday prayer leader and Mr. [Seyyed Mohammad] Hosseini, the representative of the county, gave a warm welcome. I also gave an encouraging speech and praised the Shiite and Sunni unity, and promised to fulfill their demands, gas, processing industries, and attention to rural industries.

We went to the Mahdieh school for Shiite seminarians. I spoke with Mr. Tavassoli, the head of the school, and Ms. Khazaee, the head of the girls' school. I greeted the students. It is a small school. I promised help.

We went to the tomb of Sheikh Ahmad-e Jami, the famous mystic of the fifth century. It is strange that on his grave, there was a massive pistachio tree that they claimed was hundreds of years old. Mr. Ghazi [Sharafuddin Jami al-Ahmadi] and his son, who are the custodians, gave good explanations. It has 10 hectares of land and is wooded. It has a seminary for Sunni students, a congregational mosque, an old handwritten Quran gifted by Aurangzeb, and many artistic works. Regarding one part of the building, they claimed that it used to shake like the Monar Jonban of Isfahan, and an architect opened it to understand its secret and destroyed it. Mr. Ghazi, who is a 70-year-old man, said he remembers that by shaking the mihrab, the building would shake.

One of the Molavis who was walking with us recited a piece of poetry by Ahmad-e Jami that accepted all Shiite beliefs regarding the Imams; it was interesting to me. I said to record a tape for broadcasting. I also saw the seminary; it was humble. I promised help.

Then we went and I inaugurated the Shahed tomato paste factory. Ali, my sister's son, is its manager. The first production line is completely Iranian. Then we flew toward Taybad. The passion and excitement of the people of Taybad were even more than Torbat-e Jam. Their student Basij anthem was cooler. A Sunni Molavi had composed a poem in my praise and recited it; I praised him. The Friday prayer leader gave a welcome and raised the demands, and I delivered a warm, encouraging, and heartening speech.

We entered the city and immediately flew toward the Sangan mine. At the mine site, which was next to the small village of Darvi, we visited the small iron ore concentration line. The entire mining area is about 200 kilometers, of which about 7 kilometers have undergone detailed exploration and about 3.5 million tons of iron ore have been discovered. The decision to buy iron ore up to the level of import prices has strengthened producers and led them to mining work. There, I emphasized the decision to activate the Sangan mine. The Planning and Budget Organization has not yet agreed to activate the mine.

We moved toward the city of Khaf. We arrived with a delay. They had a huge gathering and gave a warm welcome. A large group of Shahed girls were throwing flower petals, and Sunni and Shiite groups performed warm welcoming anthems. The Friday prayer leader and the city representative gave welcomes, and I spoke warmly to them. It is surprising that even though the majority of people are Sunni, a Shiite representative has been elected.

We ate lunch at the governorate. We took a tour of the city. They have decorated the city extensively. I had not seen such decorations elsewhere. The Minister of Interior participated on my behalf in the ceremony for launching the telephone center, and we flew toward Torbat-e Heydarieh. On the way, the governor fell asleep, and I could not get explanations as I did on other routes.

The welcome from the people of Torbat-e Heydarieh was better than everywhere else. All the streets on the route were filled with a passionate crowd chanting, throwing flowers, and with smiles on their faces. In the stadium filled with a passionate crowd, the ceremony began near sunset. After the welcome by the Friday prayer leader and the city representative, I delivered a short speech full of praise and promises. My words were strongly influenced by the people's emotions, and the Friday prayer leader was more moved than I was and cried.

We went to the Islamic Azad University and inaugurated the new building. On the way, the people of the villages on our route had a magnificent gathering. Next to the university, a large group of pupils and students welcomed us warmly. I got out and responded to their feelings by walking past them, and in the gathering of academic staff and students, I spoke about the blessings of the Islamic Azad University. I visited the building; it is still unfinished. At that same place, an exhibition of the province's agricultural equipment products had been set up. It was very interesting; the progress of agricultural affairs in the province during the first plan is amazing.

We went to the city governorate. Even though 3 hours of the night had passed, a large number of people still remained on the route and expressed their affection.In the gathering of scholars and officials, [Mr. Mohammad Nasser Tavasolizadeh], the representative of the city, spoke about the needs and I gave a short speech. We had dinner. I read the reports. I listened to the news. I wrote the memoirs and went to sleep at eleven o'clock at night. The companions were talking about my strength, hard work, and indefatigability. Everyone was tired.