Kerman (pop 850,000)

Kerman Province

Islamic Republic of Iran

May 25, 2022

Salam,

During his lifetime, General Qasem Soleimani was a controversial military and political figure in Iran.  I learned that some families were supportive of him.   Others not.

But in response to his untimely death of “unnatural causes” in 2020 at the airport in Baghdad, Commander Soleimani was elevated to the status of a revered national hero.  Hundreds of thousands attended his many funeral processions around Iran.

Qasem Soleimani is buried here in the Kerman Martyrs Cemetery.  Each day a government official arrives to lay a wreath at his grave.  He is joined by dozens of other mourners from Kerman and from Qanat-e Malek, Soleimani’s home village.  Black clad women prostrate themselves on the black granite marker.

Kerman Province

Iran

May 19, 2022

Hello,

We made two stops during the long ride from the gulf coast to Kerman.

Sirjan:  We sat on the grass and enjoyed a watermelon picnic in the shadow of the Sirjan Icehouse. *

Sirch:  In a fertile valley at the edge of the desert we visited the village of Sirch and posed for photos in the shade of the ancient twin cedar trees. **