Memories of Akbar Hashemi - June 9, 2002

I introduced the way to cure unemployment in the country as being limited to construction, investment, production, and tourism.

Mohsen, the CEO of the metro who has been invited to Dubai; for collaboration and consultation about the possibility of designing and establishing a metro, said that construction there has expanded, and recently many residential, administrative, and commercial units are being built and sold to foreigners along with residency permits.

Complete text of the daily report:

For the International Handicrafts Day ceremony, we went to the Children and Adolescents Intellectual Development Center. We visited the national handicrafts exhibition where each of the 28 provinces had its own booth. I spoke with all of them. Then, in the amphitheater, I listened to the reports of Mr. [Yadollah] Tahernajad, [head of the Handicrafts Organization], and Mr. [Es'haq] Jahangiri, the Minister of Industries, and Dr. [Hossein] Yavari, and watched the artistic program of the Forty Daf Group. I spoke about the cultural, economic, and human importance of handicrafts and introduced the solution to unemployment in the country as being limited to construction, investment, production, and tourism.

In the morning, Dr. [Ali Akbar] Velayati, [the international advisor of the leadership], came. He expressed his happiness that the Expediency Council has gained a heavy and unique position, both domestically and internationally, and he expressed his concern about the future of the revolution if the current situation continues, stating that revolutionary and Islamic circles expect you to think and take action to correct the course. I presented possible solutions to restore the authority of the revolution and revitalize the country. He criticized the judiciary and said that the situation has worsened since Mr. [Mohammad] Yazdi; they are neither successful in judgment and upholding justice, nor in decisiveness and suppressing counter-revolutionaries.

Mohsen, [the chairman and CEO of the Metro Company], arrived at noon. He had been invited to Dubai for collaboration and consultation regarding the feasibility of designing and establishing a metro in Dubai. He mentioned that construction has expanded there, and recently many residential, commercial, and administrative units are being built and sold to foreigners along with residency permits, with notable buyers coming from Iran.

In the afternoon, Mr. Iraj Nadimi, the representative of Lahijan, came. He spoke about the problems of the city of Lahijan and the Gilan province, regarding tea, rice, and employment, and believes that the tea drying factories are abusing the advantages they have gained through privatization policies, and some of them are currently on strike, causing problems. He criticized the methods of Mr. Zain al-Abidin Ghorbani, the Friday prayer leader. Mr. Ali Mirakhiali, the representative of Minab, came as well. He talked about poverty and the needs of the region and expressed dissatisfaction with Mr. Gholam Ali Na'imabadi, the representative of the Supreme Leader in Hormozgan province and the Friday prayer leader of Bandar Abbas.

Israeli assaults have intensified, and once again the headquarters of [Yasser] Arafat, [the president of the Palestinian Authority], in Ramallah has been besieged. In Afghanistan, the Loya Jirga session is scheduled to take place tomorrow, one day late.