Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – January 12, 1995

After the morning prayer, I read the reports. I listened to the BBC radio news. The Chechen war has renewed after a short ceasefire. Mr. Abdolhossein Vahaji, the Director General of Customs, came to explain about the Mirjaveh customs. We went to the site of the Army Aviation under construction. It is very extensive. They asked for more budget for rapid completion.

We flew toward Mirjaveh. On the way, Sardar Qasem Soleimani gave good explanations about the border and the plans to seal it. We landed beside Mirjaveh. We went and saw one of the passes that had been closed with a cement and concrete dam to prevent the entry of drug caravans. I likened it to the Sadd-e Eskandar, built to prevent the mischief of Gog and Magog, which was interesting to the journalists.

They said they have closed twenty-nine passes on the Afghanistan and Pakistan border. We visited the canals they have dug to prevent the infiltration of smugglers. They said with these measures, the infiltration of caravans has decreased and they can only infiltrate by camel and on foot; truly, security has improved.

We went to the Mirjaveh customs. The law enforcement, customs, roads and transportation, and intelligence officials gave reports. A group of Afghans were there to enter Iran and asked me to give two-month visas instead of one month; I agreed. Beside the border I spoke with a group of people from Pakistan—the residents of the Pakistani town of Taftan—which is adjacent to our customs. They are very poor and backward. A large number of trucks were waiting for their turn to enter.

We returned to Mirjaveh. In the people's gathering I gave a short speech. From there, the high peak of the Taftan Mountain, which is covered with snow, was visible. We flew toward Khash and arrived with a delay. On the way, there are several small and poor villages in the plains and passes and ravines; including the Lariz rural district in Khash. Three five-year-old kindergarten girls gave an innovative and artistic welcome, whom I encouraged; it was very interesting.

The governor and the Friday prayer leader and the representative gave reports and welcome speeches, and the people had truly celebrated. They performed an interesting anthem in my praise and a child beautifully performed a local dance. The army personnel had also participated extensively. There is a brigade there from the 88th Division. The city's progress in the First Plan is very extensive and satisfactory. I too gave an encouraging speech.

From there we went to the site of the cement factory under construction. We prayed and heard the briefing and visited the factory. With a capacity of 2,600 tons per day, it is near completion. After the good explanations of Engineer Mottaqi, we had lunch. At lunch, the representative of Bank Sepah, which is a partner, gave explanations about the bank's abundant investments.

We flew toward Saravan with a delay. Mr. Fakhroddin Rezazehi, the representative of Saravan, came to the helicopter to explain. I slept a little and then listened to his explanations. The route is dry and sparsely populated, and he introduced an area as the former refuge of local bandits who have now surrendered and been given security. We landed at the site of the future Saravan Airport. I broke ground for the airport construction. The government is to pay half of the cost.

We flew to the people's gathering place. A lot of dust from the helicopters landing fell on the people's heads, but they did not frown. They had a very enthusiastic and dense gathering. After the good welcome of the representative and the governor and the Friday prayer leader and Mowlavi Ishaq Madani, I spoke in detail and promised the establishment of an Azad University and a border market, with much praise for the people and their anthem and the people's religiosity. They said women usually do not participate in ceremonies and today they came because of me.

We flew toward Iranshahr with a delay and arrived at sunset. Immediately from the airport we went to the gathering place. On the way there was a popular welcome. It had become dark, but the people had stayed. After the anthem and the welcome and a long speech, we went from there to the Iranshahr power plant under construction. We heard explanations and visited. This power plant will come online next year with 250 megawatts. We went to the Baft-e Baluch spinning and weaving factory. After hearing the explanations, we visited the production halls. They are replacing old machines with modern ones. Then we gave the pasture documents to the graziers. We had dinner and went to the Construction Jihad place. I wrote the memoirs of two days and slept.