Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – May 20, 1999

The news reports focused on the intensification of the bombing campaign against Yugoslavia, where problems were also emerging within the country. The leaders of the Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party had turned against Mr. [Slobodan] Milošević, [the Yugoslav president]. Reports also described several demonstrations by women and family members of those killed, protesting the government’s policies. Ibrahim Rugova, the self-proclaimed president of Kosovo, who had taken refuge in Italy, had also resumed political activity and traveled to Russia.

At 3:30 p.m., we set off for Kashan. Effat, Faezeh, Mohsen, Yaser, and a number of relatives and bodyguards accompanied us. On the way, we made a brief stop in Alborz, Qom, to inspect the pistachio farms. Some of the farms were in reasonable condition, but progress had been inadequate. Pistachio cultivation had begun there before the Revolution, and we also owned a share in the project. However, due to a lack of follow-up and poor management, it had not been successful.

Messrs. [Hossein] Mahallati and [Mahmoud] Jamali, [representative of Kashan], joined us in Alborz. We continued toward Kashan via the old road, heading to the Shourab area, where there is a large tract of land with several wells intended for pistachio cultivation.

The project had initially belonged to a charitable company that supported various causes, including a student dormitory built by people from Kashan in Tehran. However, following a lawsuit by someone claiming ownership of the land and intervention by the Office of the Supreme Leader, the company’s activities were halted, and the property was transferred to the Kashan Combatants Company. Recently, the latter had brought in a manager from Damghan and begun developing the 3,000-hectare site. Tree planting had started two years earlier, but they, too, lacked the capital needed for such a large undertaking.

We arrived in Kashan in the early evening and went to the residence of Mr. [Seyyed Mehdi] Yasrebi, the Friday Prayer Leader. The provincial governor and several other provincial officials from Isfahan were also present. We discussed provincial affairs for a while. They complained about the lack of cooperation from the Law Enforcement Forces with the governor.

Yaser presented them with several copies of Crossing the Crisis, my memoirs of the year 1360 [1981–82]. The book attracted considerable interest.

After dinner, we went to Niasar, arriving late at night. Accommodation had been arranged for us at the local Finance Department, while the women were assigned a separate location. Effat was upset that they had been separated from us and, in frustration, decided that they would stay with me instead. No suitable accommodation had been prepared for the entire group. We went to bed feeling distressed, and I remained troubled and awake for much of the night.

In Kashan, we had visited a restored cultural heritage site, the historic Tabatabaei House, a residential complex. It was very interesting.