Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi - February 20, 2003

An unofficial visit to the Atomic Energy Organization's factory in Isfahan and listening to Gholamreza Aghazadeh's report

The news of the IRGC plane crash and its widespread repercussions before Ayatollah Khamenei's visit to Sistan and Baluchestan

Full text of the diary:

At 7:30 a.m., we flew from Tehran's [Mehrabad Airport] to Isfahan to visit the UCF [Organization] nuclear power plant. Mr. [Gholamreza] Aghazadeh, the head of the organization, was also with him. On the way, he gave some explanations about the industrial complex. We landed at Isfahan airport at 8:30 p.m. Because the trip is unofficial, we disembarked in the military section. The commander of the 8th [Army's Air Force] base welcomed. We immediately went to UCF [=Isfahan Uranium Processing Facility].
They reported on the fuel cycle of nuclear power plants – from the uranium mine to the UF-6 – that takes place there. Then there are various products that are prepared for enrichment by laser or centrifuge, and some of them are used for the production of heavy water and heavy water reactors, and the production of rare and single metals that are used for nuclear fuel sheaths.
This industrial complex started before the revolution to support 20 nuclear power plants that were planned, and after the revolution, a cooperation agreement was signed first with Argentina and then with China for the production of nuclear fuel, which China, under the pressure of the United States, did not implement the contract and left it unfinished and returned 60 million dollars, which they are completing and developing with the same currency. It is making good progress and it is expected that in the next few weeks, UF6 and Zirconium products will be obtained. We also visited different sections.

After prayer and lunch, at 3:30 p.m., we drove to Natanz. At 5:30 p.m., we entered the enrichment site between Natanz and Kashan. Mr. [Gholamreza] Aghazadeh, [the head of the Atomic Energy Organization], and the managers and experts explained the construction of the enrichment rotors and the outline of the buildings. Nearly 200,000 square meters of buildings have been built in the basement in three floors and 60,000 enrichment devices are to be installed there.

 Then, from the manufacturing process of the machines [= centrifuges], which has been adapted from the existing model in Pakistan and completed with the manufacture and modification of its parts, which are 96 parts, the first chain of 164 has been installed in a temporary site for testing. It is waiting for UF6 to arrive from Isfahan.

We visited the way they were assembled and installed, and another group that is engaged in optimizing this technology presented its plan. Mr. Imannejad explained, "If it comes to fruition, it will be much better than this."  Its engine speed will be about 90,000 [per minute], which is 30,000 more than the current machine, and its parts will be reduced from 94 to 50 pieces, and its length will increase from two meters to one meter, and its diameter will be more, and its product will be two and a half times that of the new British centrifuge. We were supposed to return to Tehran at night, but since the visit lasted until 11:00 p.m., we stayed there.
Today the news of the IRGC Ilyushin plane was published. All 302 people on board were killed. The news is widely reported in the foreign media, with many rumors, including that a large number of Ayatollah Khamenei's bodyguards were among the travelers who had traveled to Sistan and Baluchistan for his trip next week. It is clear that they want to somehow relate this calamity to his journey. I also sent a message of condolence. It is a very bitter incident.

Today, in Pakistan, a Fokker plane carrying army commanders crashed, killing [Lieutenant General Mushaf Ali Mir], the commander of the Pakistan Air Force, his wife, and eight high-ranking army commanders.