Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – October 7, 1993

We went to the [Mehrabad] airport early in the morning. It has been raining since last night. Chastity and Yasser were also there. We immediately flew to Mashhad. [Mr. Ali Mohammad Besharti and Akbar Turkan], Ministers of the Interior and Roads and Transport, Mr. Mirzadeh and Mr. [Jalil] Besharti, [Head of the Office of Deprived Regions] and security guards and from our office and representatives of the province were also there.

We landed in Mashhad at half past eight in the morning. An official reception was held at the airport. The people in the streets of Mashhad had a warm, magnificent and enthusiastic welcome. I participated in Dar al-Zuhd [the shrine of Imam Reza (a.s.)], among the families of martyrs. After listening to the report, I gave them an encouraging speech.

Then I attended the huge gathering of people in the courtyard and responded to the very magnificent sentiments of the people. Mr. [Abbas Waez] Tabasi, [Tawlit Astan Quds Razavi], gave a warm welcome and I gave a concise speech. The ceremony ended around noon.

In the room overlooking the Holy Shrine, I made a short pilgrimage and after noon, evening and lunch prayers, I rested until half past three. Nasser, Mr. Tabasi's son, came and explained from the court session that he was dealing with his complaint against Mr. [Syed Mohammad Mousavi] Khoyiniha, [director of Salam newspaper]; He was unhappy with the position of the court and the jury members who tried to get consent from him and did not give it.

In the evening, I participated in the gathering of students and scholars at Razavi University. After expressing the very passionate and welcoming feelings of Mr. Tabasi, I spoke in detail about the duties of the clergy at this point in time and the necessity of using the unique opportunity that has been given to us, in terms of managing the country and propagating pure and unadulterated Islam.

At night, I participated in the Supreme Administrative Council meeting at Khorasan Governorate. I heard good and encouraging reports from [Mr. Ismail Mofidi], the governor and the general managers of industry, jihad, program, water, and agriculture; Everything was aimed at the speed of construction and the success of the first plan and the needs of the second plan. The demands of the representatives of Mashhad were also raised. I spoke

After dinner, we returned. On the way, Mr. Karimi, [the official of Astan Quds Razavi], gave an explanation by passing through the underpass around the shrine. I responded to people's feelings on the way back and forth. At the end of the night, I visited the Holy Shrine.