Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - January 8, 2003

A one-day trip to Chabahar, visiting the port, and inaugurating the "Media and Economy" conference. Officials of the [Chabahar Free] Zone spoke about the harassment by narrow-minded groups and the lack of cooperation from institutions in developing the free trade zones.

Full Diary Entry:

At 7:30 AM, we flew from Mehrabad [Airport] to Chabahar to visit the city and the Free Zone, and to inaugurate the "Media and Economy" conference organized there by IRIB. Messrs. [Ali] Larijani [Head of IRIB], [Morteza] Mohammadkhan [Head of Customs], [Hassan] Vaezi, [Hossein] Nasiri [Secretary of the High Council of Free Zones], and Mehdi, Yaser, and Fati accompanied us. During the flight, we had discussions regarding the status of the free zones, the situation in Iraq, Naji Sabri’s [Iraqi Foreign Minister] visit, the City and Village [Islamic] Council [elections], and disputes between various groups.

We landed at the Konarak Airbase at 9:30 AM. After the welcoming ceremony by provincial officials, military personnel, and clerics, we headed toward Chabahar. During the 45-kilometer drive, Dr. [Mohammad-Taqi] Salehi, CEO of the [Chabahar Free] Zone Organization, gave a report; with an area of 14,000 square kilometers and the use of Shahid Beheshti and Shahid Kalantari piers, and an annual income of about 20 billion tomans, their development progress is slow.

I visited an industrial, commercial, and cultural section, as well as a workshop for manufacturing electrical switches—established through foreign and domestic partnership—where I greeted the workers. We toured the International University, which admitted 170 students this year for a bachelor's degree from the University of London—with a tuition of about $4,000 per year, no entrance exam, and [admission based on] high GPA. This is one of the new educational methods to prevent youth from going abroad.

We visited the Shahid Beheshti pier. A ship was unloading raw sugar. I talked with the managers and truck drivers. I visited the breakwater currently under construction; it has taken too long due to low credit and must be expedited to make the harbor more active. Given the importance of the North-South Corridor, the new situation in Afghanistan and Central Asia, and the role of this port situated on the ocean coast—as well as competition from Pakistan—it is significant. Recently, a tripartite agreement between India, Afghanistan, and Iran was signed to utilize this route, and India has agreed to invest in the [construction of] the Chabahar-Fahraj railway and the Zaranj-Saravan road in Afghanistan. Officials of the [Chabahar Free] Zone Organization spoke about harassment from narrow-minded groups and the lack of institutional cooperation in developing free trade zones. They provided a comprehensive report during a meeting.

Lunch was served at a restaurant belonging to the Ports Organization; fish and shrimp were the main parts of the meal. [Mr. Esmail Abdollahi] the Governor, [Molavi Abdul-Rahman Mollazehi] the Friday Prayer Leader of Chabahar, and [Mr. Ahmad-Reza Radan] the provincial police commander, complained about the insulting behavior of the bodyguards. We rested in a newly built villa on the heights overlooking the sea and saw a beautiful collection of newly constructed villas. At 3:00 PM, we attended the IRIB summit at the [Ministry of] Culture and Islamic Guidance center. Mr. [Abbas-Ali] Soleimani, the Friday Prayer Leader of Zahedan, [Mr. Abdollahi] the Governor of Chabahar, Mr. [Ali] Larijani, and Dr. Salehi gave welcoming remarks and reports. I delivered a detailed speech about Iran's talents, the constructive teachings of Islam for development, the duties of the media in identifying and introducing talents, and reforming the culture of productive work.

We went to the [Chabahar] University of [Maritime and] Marine Sciences. After the Maghrib and Isha prayers, Mr. [Mohammad-Reza] Bakhshi, the university president, and [Mr. Tavan], the representative of the Leader's Office, gave welcoming remarks and raised their needs. They spoke about the weakness of education in the city's high schools. Addressing the faculty and students, I spoke about the necessity of strengthening maritime science education and paying attention to the education of youth in underprivileged areas.

We went to the airbase and flew back after being seen off. We arrived home at 10:00 PM. In the news, the discovery of a highly dangerous toxic substance without an antidote with a group of seven Afghans in a building in London has worried the British and created a new wave of anti-terrorism. Additionally, the explosion of two oil tankers near the American military base in Afghanistan is under attention.