Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - January 16, 2002

We went to visit the Mashhad metro. Mr. [Seyed Mohsen] Shushtari, the managing director, explained and we walked the metro route; 60 percent of it has been built. A progress report was given to the managers. They expressed their gratitude for the start of the Mashhad metro during my presidency by approving special fees for the metro. I spoke about the importance and necessity of the metro...

Full text of the diary:

We went to the new building of the Islamic Research Foundation, which Astan Quds has built with a 24,000 square meter building on four floors. I visited the different departments and seven research groups and its library and the document center of the management of Astan Quds since the Safavid era.
In the amphitheater, in the company of researchers and scholars, after the welcome speech and report by Mr. [Vaez] Tabasi, I gave a detailed speech about the important duties of the clergy in the Islamic government and the necessity of a new interpretation of Islamic teachings and having specialists in all sciences in religious fields.
From there, we went to visit the Mashhad Metro. Mr. [Seyyed Mohsen] Shushtari, the CEO, explained and we walked the route of the metro; 60 percent of it has been built. A progress report was given to the managers. They expressed their gratitude for the start of the [Mashhad] metro during my presidency by approving special fees for the metro. I spoke about the importance and necessity of the metro.
In the evening, we went to the large amphitheater of the Astan Quds Library to meet with Basij engineers. Engineer [Mehdi] Chamran, [Secretary-General of the Engineers' Mobilization Organization] Khair Moghadam said and reported, "We have about 20,000 Basij engineers, of whom 6,000 have accepted membership in 19 provinces." I gave a detailed speech about the importance of establishing the Mobilization Organization, its many services in defense and construction, and its great achievements in protecting the revolution and the country.
In the evening, the inauguration ceremony of the 7th Education Network for Khorasan Province was held in the amphitheater of Razavi University. Mr. [Ali] Agha Mohammadi, [Acting Director of the Iranian Broadcasting Organization] reported and said, "They have signed a contract with the Ministry of Education, the University of Applied Sciences, and Payam Noor University to broadcast their educational programs." I spoke about the educational mission of the Iranian Broadcasting Organization and the importance of science for human development.
Then we went to the university's large hall to give a speech to the scholars, students, and clergy of the armed forces. It was a grand meeting. After the eulogy and report by Mr. [Seyed Ahmad Mir] Morshadi, [responsible for the Supreme Leader's representation in the Joint Staff of the IRGC], I gave a detailed speech and explained the current situation and the danger of America and the historical and current role of the clergy.
I read the news and reports that are recorded on a portable computer [= laptop]. Mr. Nasser [preacher] Tabasi came and spoke about the Sarakhs Special Economic Zone. A group of relatives from Mashhad came to visit. Haj Gholamreza Vafadar was the one who sought the issuance of the Khademi and Shrine Guard Order.
It was announced that 11 empty chemical weapons warheads had been found in Iraq.