Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - February 11, 2001 - Participation in the Anniversary of the Revolution Ceremony at the Imam Reza Complex

Visitation of Imam Reza in the Special Room North of the Goharshad Mosque, which overlooks the Dar al-Hefaz Portico.

The porticoes of the Imam Reza shrine are covered structures of varying heights built around the holy site over the years. The term "Roozeh Monavereh" refers to the area beneath the dome where the sacred shrine is located. There are 28 porticoes in the Imam Reza shrine, with the Dar al-Hefaz being the oldest and the Imam portico being the largest, while the Dar al-Izza portico is the smallest.

Participation in the Anniversary of the Revolution Ceremony at the Imam Reza Complex

Hashemi's Account of the Protest Gathering Around Tehran University and Laleh Park

Complete Daily Entry:

I woke up at three in the morning and went to the special room north of the Goharshad Mosque, which overlooks the Dar al-Hefaz portico, for visitation. After the morning prayer, I studied and revised an interview about the war. I slept until ten-thirty.

Mr. [Abbas Vaez] Tabasi, [the custodian of the Imam Reza Shrine], arrived. Together, we went to the Imam Reza courtyard for a speech at the [Anniversary of the Islamic Revolution] ceremony. The courtyard is vast, covering six hectares, and there was a good crowd, reportedly better than previous years. Mr. Tabasi welcomed the attendees, and I delivered an extensive speech regarding February 11, the essence of the revolution, the role of Khorasan in the history of Islam and the revolution, expectations from Khorasan, and important development and construction plans.

In the afternoon, at four-thirty, we headed to the airport. Mr. Tabasi came with his family, and we flew towards Tehran together. We arrived in Tehran at sunset. Mr. [Mohammad Reza] Nouri Shahroudi, Mohsen, Mahdi, Yasser, Iftah, and several relatives were accompanying us. Fati had planned to come as well but missed the flight. Dr. Saeed [Lahouti, Fati's husband] arrived, and we discussed family matters.

Today, a group of nationalists held a protest against the regime around Tehran University and Laleh Park, which was dispersed by police and Hezbollah forces, leading to several arrests; as usual, foreign media exaggerated the situation.