Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – September 23, 1996

We went to the [Mehrabad] airport early in the morning and immediately flew to Zanjan. Mohsen [Hashmi, Head of the President's Office], [Bijan Namdar] Zanganeh, [Minister of Energy], [Ali Muhammad] Basharti, [Minister of the Interior], [Mohammedreza] Nematzadeh, [Minister of Industries], [Gholamreza] Aghazadeh, [Minister of Oil], [Mustafa] Mirsalim, [Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance], [Akbar] Turkan, [Minister of Roads and Transport], [Yahi] Al Ishaq, [Minister of Commerce] and Dr. [Mohammed Ali] Najafi, [Minister of Education] was there. We landed at Zanjan Airport, which is not yet completed.

After the ceremony and a short interview, we left for the city. The reception of the people was magnificent and indescribable. We were not supposed to have a popular program in the city, but the Zanjani people were not ready to be short, and I was upset that I had not scheduled a lecture for them. Of course, I had made an official trip to this province in the past.

We all went to Islamic Azad University. There was a [prayer] seminar in the amphitheater hall. After the welcome [Mr. Seyyed Ismail Mousavi], Imam Juma [Zanjan] and the recitation of the leader's message, by Mr. [Mohsen] Qaraati, [head of the prayer service staff], I gave a detailed speech about the importance of prayer and the necessity of work in order for it to be part of the people's life plan.

We went to Qazvin-Zanjan freeway to open it and several other projects. Mr. [Akbar] Turkan, [Minister of Roads and Transport], [Asadullah Amir] Aslani, [CEO of National Bank of Iran] reported. It was built with 180 billion Rials; 189 km, with the facilities of the National Bank and 30% assistance from the Ministry [of Roads and Transport]. On behalf of the National Gas Company, regarding gas supply to Hedge and Sayin Qala, and on behalf of telecommunications, regarding 160 telecommunication projects, including mobile phones, with a cost of four billion tomans, and on behalf of the Ministry of Energy, regarding the Golbar Dam and the electrical post, and the Minister of Industries regarding several industrial projects and the head of radio, regarding the new radio center, explanations

they gave In total, the cost of completed projects was 60 billion tomans and the cost of starting projects was reported to be 50 billion tomans. I spoke briefly about each of them. The ceremony was broadcast live on the provincial radio.

We flew to the side of Khorram Dareh city. We passed through Khorram Valley and Abhar. We were greeted enthusiastically by the people. We went to Norin Industrial Complex on Qazvin Road, Zanjan. We opened the first phase with five industrial units of cable making, prefabricated parts, construction and machine building, and food industry. Some of the partners are Rafsanjani's relatives.

We heard the explanations of the Minister of Industries and the manager of the complex, and the construction of a raisin production factory from grapes, which is a development in the raisin industry and raises the standard and added value of the country's raisins, is important and makes the farmers who traditionally dry grapes happy. We visited a vast cable factory. I gave a short speech to the staff.

After prayer, lunch and rest. We returned to the city of Abhar and in a very large gathering of people, after listening to a very good hymn sung by the girls and the words of Imam Juma and [Mr. Ahmad Mahdavi], the representative of the city, I gave an encouraging speech.

We flew to Takestan city. We opened a technical and vocational school in Takestan and Abhar at the same time and visited the city's industry exhibition. I gave a speech in a good gathering of people after listening to Khair Moghaddam [Mr. Rajab Rahmani], the representative and the anthem of girls and boys. Due to the stormy weather and the delay, we did not use helicopters to return. We were on our way to Tehran in two hours. It caused the meeting with the leadership to be canceled. I came home Yasir and Maryam returned from their trip to Bosnia [and Herzegovina] and gave a trip report.