Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's Memoirs - February 2, 1999 - Informal Visit to Tehran Metro

Informal Visit to Tehran Metro

Participation in the First Day of Fajr Decade Ceremonies and Related Events

At 8:30 AM, I went with Mohsen, [CEO of Tehran Metro Company], for an informal visit to the metro. We visited the West Tehran station and traveled towards Imam Square (formerly Topkhaneh Square) by metro train. We got off at several stations along the way and listened to explanations; it's beautiful and important. I think it will be one of the most used and viewed facilities in the future, and most people in Iran will include visiting the metro in their plans when they travel to Tehran. People of Tehran also use it frequently.

I went to my office and took care of some matters. Then, for the program of the first day of the Fajr Decade ceremonies, I went to Imam Khomeini's shrine. Before my speech, Mr. Hamid Ansari, [Deputy Head of the Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini's Works] came and expressed concern about the insults of some leftist newspapers towards Imam and questioning some of Imam's actions and policies, and consulted with me on how to deal with them.

One of the officials of the Fajr Decade ceremonies came and said that we had invited the daughter of Martyr [Ali] Sayyad Shirazi to give a recitation in today's program, but she declined. Her father, the martyr, appeared in her dream with a bloody face at a ceremony where I was speaking and threw himself at my feet. When they learned that I was the speaker of the program, they expressed their willingness to recite and came with all the family members and performed the recitation.

I gave a long speech and attacked the liberals and extremist leftists who pretend that there was no serious popular participation in Iran before the second of Khordad (election of Mohammad Khatami). I explained that Imam and the revolution, from the beginning until today, have relied on the will, vote, and desire of the people.

In the afternoon, Yaser came and insisted that I accept the invitation to the Tehran Dairy Farmers' celebration program for the Fajr Decade; I accepted. I spent a lot of time reviewing Efat's memories and correcting the text of yesterday's interview with the students.

The news came that Chechen fighters have evacuated the city of Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, and the Russians have completely taken control of it. An American plane crashed, killing 89 people.