Official welcome with full formalities

Mohsen Rafiq Dost

They said that the presidency wants to go on a trip to Syria, Libya and Algeria and you should accompany them. One of the interesting stories of that trip was that Hafez Asad welcomed Mr. He was supposed to stay in Syria for three days. Three days in Libya and two days in Algeria.

On the second day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told me that: We are afraid that there will be a problem in Libya and that Gaddafi will not welcome you. You go early to see what their plan is.

I boarded a plane and went to Libya with Mr. Javaid Gurbanoglu, who was the director general for Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and who used to write articles in the daily newspaper. They told me in Tripoli that: Akhi is not an Aqid.

I said: Where is it? Our president wants to come tomorrow.

They said: Well, there is Mr. Jalud.

I asked: Why Jalod?

They said: Well, Mr. Khamenei is the president; But Gaddafi is the leader.

I said: So they will not come to Libya. I came here so that if Gaddafi comes and arrange a grand reception, I will tell Damascus that the president should come.

Finally, they said: If you want Gaddafi to come, you have to go to Sirte. Because Gaddafi is in your life.

We also said: What difference does it make? We want Gaddafi to be welcomed.

Sirat is a newly built city and a port between Benghazi and Tripoli by the Mediterranean Sea. They were supposed to make it the capital. Because the facilities provided in that city are very wide. They also built a chic hotel there. A month before that, a delegation from Arab countries was in Sirte and received them in that hotel. They got a private plane and Javed and I went to Sirte. I don't remember if Jalud came with us or after us. But when we reached Sirte, they were there too. They gave us a place in the same hotel.

I said to Jalud: For us, the official military reception and full formalities are important and you should do this.

He accepted and they brought the red carpet. The honor guard came and prepared the ceremonies. We also returned to the hotel. Suddenly I felt passionate.

I said to Javed: Get up, let's go see what is going on.

We saw that they have collected the carpet and ceremonial items. The plane flew from Damascus and was near the Libyan sky. We were sitting in the airport hall. There was also skin.

We asked: What happened?

He said: Mr. Khamenei is coming now. I am too

There was a small table in front of me that was full of soft drinks, coffee and water. When he said I am too, I kicked under the table. The table fell and all the soda bottles, glasses and cups broke. I said loudly to Javed: Javed, let's go and get our things. Now the plane lands. When they put the stairs, we will not let Mr. Khamenei get off and we will return to Iran.

In short, they saw that the case was very tight. The plane was also flying in the sky of Libya. I once saw seven or eight BMW cars coming towards us from the bottom of the airport. When they stopped near the band, Gaddafi got off and called me. His clothes were all white; Dashashe, his pants and hat were white. He said: Why did you make a fuss? I have come

I said: So why don't you have an official welcome ceremony?

The person in charge of the ceremonies said that: they have given the order to welcome Shaabi - that is, people.

He was right. A large crowd of Arabs had gathered outside the airport and were cheering. I said: Let it be. But it should also be an official welcome.

They immediately ordered to spread the carpet. The three forces also came and stood. It is not bad to say something on the sidelines. I saw a young lady in a military uniform with the rank of major standing at the plane. This lady was the deputy of Sirat military base. I went to Jalud and said: Jalud, John, now that you have fixed everything, I have a request.

He said: What?

I said: Our president is a cleric, this lady is without hijab. It is a bit disrespectful. Please take this lady away from here.

He said: I can't do this one anymore. He is the deputy commander of the base. Because he is not the commander of the base, he must be.

I saw that we have to solve this one ourselves. The plane stopped. I went up the stairs and kissed the man's hand. Then I slowly told the man's bodyguards that a lady was standing down there. Make this lady move out of the way.

They were not cruel either; They took the lady's hands and feet and took her from there. Sir, they came down. Gaddafi gave an official welcome and we got into the cars together and went to the same hotel.

I say for history, the memoirs of Mohsen Rafiq Dost, by Saeed Alamian, publisher: Surah Mehr, first edition: 2014, pp. 287-290