بیش از یک هفته است که بابا نیست، و هنوز باورش برایم واقعی نیست. نمی‌دانم هیچ‌وقت بشود یا نه. اما در این روزها که پیام‌ها یکی پس از دیگری رسیده، غرق خاطره‌ها و قصه‌هایی شده‌ایم از اینکه پدرم چه آدمی بود. همین است که می‌خواهم نگهش دارم. برای همین گفتم کمی از آنچه بابا را در نظر من این‌قدر بی‌نظیر می‌کرد با شما در میان بگذارم. سه ساله بودم که به انگلستان رفتیم. هیچ فامیلی دور و برمان نبود، و همان جمع کوچک چهارنفره‌مان تنها پناهمان بود. اما وقتی به کودکی‌ام فکر می‌کنم، به یاد می‌آورم چقدر شادی در آن بود. چقدر خنده. چه خاطره‌های فوق‌العاده‌ای. مامان و بابا با همان اندکی که داشتند بهترین زندگی ممکن را ساختند، و ما بچه‌ها هیچ‌وقت نفهمیدیم چه از خودگذشتگی‌هایی می‌کردند: دور بودن از خانواده، ساختن یک زندگی در کشوری غریب. ما فقط می‌دانستیم کودکی شادی داریم. و واقعاً داشتیم، چون آن‌ها این‌طور ساخته بودندش. بعدها پدر و مادرم ما را به ایران برگرداندند تا بدانیم از کجا آمده‌ایم و خانواده‌مان را بشناسیم. آن موقع از این کار متنفر بودم. حالا که به گذشته نگاه می‌کنم می‌فهمم یکی از بزرگ‌ترین هدیه‌های ممکن را به ما دادند. ما واقعاً پدربزرگ‌ها و مادربزرگ‌ها، عمه‌ها و خاله‌ها، عموها و دایی‌ها و دخترعمه‌ها و پسرعموهایمان را شناختیم. یاد گرفتیم ریشه‌مان کجاست. ایران به شکلی بخشی از وجود ما شد که به هیچ راه دیگری ممکن نبود. و بعد دوباره زندگی‌شان را از ریشه کندند و ما را به ایالات متحده آوردند. بابا مجبور شد بخش بزرگی از حرفه‌ای را که برایش زحمت کشیده بود از نو بسازد، اما این کار را برای ما کرد و برای فرصت‌هایی که می‌خواست ما داشته باشیم. بابا همین بود. بخش بزرگی از زندگی‌اش صرف ساختن زندگی ما شد. هرچه بزرگ‌تر شدم، او شد آن کسی که به او تکیه می‌کردم. هر اتفاقی که می‌افتاد، می‌توانستم به او زنگ بزنم و تا وقتی تلفن را قطع می‌کردیم، نمی‌دانم چطور، آرام شده بودم. وقتی برای دانشگاه دور از خانه بودم و دلم تنگ می‌شد، فقط چون به او نیاز داشتم راه می‌افتاد و تا لس‌آنجلس رانندگی می‌کرد. بی هیچ حرفی می‌آمد. وقتی به سنت لوئیس نقل مکان کردم، بابا پرواز کرد تا کمکم کند جا بیفتم. یکی از روزهای آخرش، رفتیم کافه ناتاشا، و به سبک همیشگی بابا، با ناتاشا سر صحبت را باز کرد و عملاً او را وادار کرد دوست من شود. می‌دانست در شهری تازه‌ام و به کسی نیاز دارم. و البته که حق با او بود. ناتاشا دوست من شد. تحصیل برای بابا معنای زیادی داشت. خودش دکترا داشت و همیشه شوخی می‌کرد که بچه‌هایش باید از پدر و مادرشان جلو بزنند. ادامه تحصیلم در مقطع کارشناسی ارشد، از خیلی جهات، به خاطر او بود. هیچ‌وقت یادم نمی‌رود روز فارغ‌التحصیلی‌ام چقدر به من افتخار می‌کرد. شاید روزی آن دکترا را هم بگیرم و باز هم تلاش کنم مایه سربلندی‌اش باشم. او بزرگ‌ترین مشوق ما بود. هر موفقیتی، کوچک یا بزرگ، برایش مهم بود. وقتی من و AJ داشتیم عروسی‌مان را برنامه‌ریزی می‌کردیم، می‌خواستیم بی سر و صدا و دونفره ازدواج کنیم. اما فکر اینکه بابا آنجا نباشد تا دستم را بگیرد و تا جایگاه عروس همراهی‌ام کند، دلم را می‌شکست. پس راهی پیدا کردیم که هم عروسی بگیریم و هم او باشد، و تا آخر عمر شکرگزار خواهم بود که این کار را کردیم. مادر شدن باعث شد عشق او را به شکلی کاملاً تازه بفهمم. بعد از به دنیا آمدن تدی، بابا با همان مراقبت‌های بی‌صدا هوایم را داشت، مراقبت‌هایی که بعد از زایمان همه‌چیز آدم است. غذا می‌آورد. هر روز زنگ می‌زد. مدام با هم فیس‌تایم می‌کردیم. بعدها پدر و مادرم به سنت لوئیس آمدند، و وقتی به سر کار برگشتم، تمام‌وقت از تدی نگهداری کردند. دیدن اینکه بابا تبدیل به پاپا شد یکی از بزرگ‌ترین شادی‌های زندگی من بود. عاشق تدی بود و تدی عاشق پاپایش. بعد راکسی به دنیا آمد، و بابا انگار باز هم می‌دانست کجا به او نیاز است. می‌دانست من دارم خودم را با یک نوزاد وفق می‌دهم، اما نگران تدی هم بود. می‌خواست مطمئن شود تدی با آمدن نوزاد تازه احساس نکند فراموش شده است. پس او را جاهای مختلف می‌برد، سرگرم و شادش نگه می‌داشت و توجهی را که لازم داشت به او می‌داد تا من به راکسی برسم. بابا همین بود. متوجه می‌شد. متوجه می‌شد کِی به غذا نیاز داری. کِی به یک تماس تلفنی. کِی دلت برای خانه تنگ شده و بابایت را می‌خواهی. کِی در شهری تازه تنهایی و به یک دوست نیاز داری. کِی تمام دنیای کودک نوپایت زیر و رو شده و به کسی نیاز دارد که به او حس خاص بودن بدهد. و بعد بابا کاری برایش می‌کرد. این یک سال آخر خیلی سخت بود. بعد از جراحی‌ای که قرار بود حالش را بهتر کند و به‌شدت بد پیش رفت، چیزی نمانده بود او را از دست بدهیم. اما بابا سخت جنگید تا به ما برگردد. و برگشت. وقت بیشتری با او داشتیم. به خانه آمد. توانست کنار مادرم باشد. وقت بیشتری با تدی داشت. و توانست نوه‌اش، روکسانا، را ببیند. چیزهای زیادی درباره از دست دادنش هست که هنوز به خودم اجازه نمی‌دهم کامل به آن‌ها فکر کنم. از این بیزارم که راکسی او را آن‌طور که تدی شناخت نخواهد شناخت. از این بیزارم که تدی این‌قدر کوچک است و شاید خودش هیچ‌کدام از این‌ها را به یاد نیاورد. اما من کاری می‌کنم که او را بشناسند. دوستت دارم، بابا. برای همیشه.

The image of dear Dr. Dashti that has stayed in my mind forever is the image of a kind director: kind, yet at the same time serious, capable, and entirely in command of the work he did. To be honest, before he returned to Iran, I had heard a great deal about him. People praised his character, his knowledge, and his personality so much that, without ever having met him, I had already grown fond of him. In those years I was a doctoral student at the University of Tehran, and at the same time I taught two days a week at the Faculty of Natural Resources in Ardakan. Dr. Dashti would come to the Faculty of Natural Resources in Ardakan one day a week, and truly, the days he was at the faculty had a different atmosphere for me. One memory from those days will never leave my mind. I was applying for a sabbatical in the United States. The University of California had sent me a mountain of forms, documents, and paperwork, much of which I genuinely could not make sense of: where to write what, which documents were required, how to fill out which section, and what on earth some of these forms even wanted from a person! I would take the forms to Dr. Dashti, and with that same patience and kindness he always had, he would look through them one by one and explain them to me: "Write this here... this section means this... you need to prepare this document..." No hurry, and never making you feel you were imposing on him. Years later, Dr. Dashti left Iran again, and I had finished my studies. At that time I had submitted an article to an American journal, a reputable journal in which publishing an article mattered a great deal to me. The review and revision process took nearly a year. Comments would come, I would revise, I would resubmit, and in short, after a great deal of back and forth, the article was finally accepted. Only one problem remained. The editor-in-chief emailed to say that I had to deposit one thousand dollars into the journal's account for publication fees! Perhaps today (given the price of the dollar) a thousand dollars might seem striking, but my problem back then was not the money itself at all. The problem was that from Iran there was practically no way to pay it. On the other hand, for my employment conversion and academic promotion, I was genuinely held up by this one article. That is, after nearly a year of review and revision, everything might have been left hanging solely because of this thousand dollar payment. In the end, with a great deal of embarrassment, I emailed Dr. Dashti and explained the situation to him. I thought perhaps he would reply in a few days, or perhaps suggest some way for me to transfer the money through someone. But only a few hours had passed when an email from him arrived. I opened the email... It was an image of a check. Without a single extra word, Dr. Dashti had issued a thousand dollar check made out to that very journal, sent it to them, and forwarded me the image. That was all. A matter that had occupied my mind for several days had been resolved by him in a few hours, with the same simplicity and magnanimity I had always known in him. Later, in the face of my repeated insistence that I find some way to repay him, he finally said: "Whenever you go to Yazd, take this thousand dollars to my father in law's house, at such and such an address." Perhaps on the surface this memory is merely the story of a thousand dollar payment, but for me it was never a story about money. It was the story of a man who, when he could do something for someone, did not keep them waiting. He never made you feel indebted. He never complicated things. He simply took your hand and solved your problem. And perhaps it is precisely through such seemingly small things that certain people remain forever great in one's mind and heart. May your soul rest in peace, dear Doctor. You went, and your going set fire to the heart... Ali Fathzadeh, Faculty Member of Ardakan University

Hearing the news of Dr. Dashti's passing truly saddened my heart. As far as I recall, Dr. Dashti was our genetics professor at Yazd University in 1384 or 1385: a highly learned teacher, eloquent, refined, of noble character, warm-faced and kind. I remember that our professor always came into the classroom with a bottle of mineral water, and we benefited from his presence and his knowledge. The memory of his presence in that classroom will remain with us students forever. May his soul be joyful and his memory honored. May God grant him His divine mercy and forgiveness. On behalf of the Environmental Science students, class of 1384, Yazd University 🌹🖤 Masoud Montazer-Ghaem

او را فقط با نام «اصغر» می‌شناختم، هم‌بیمارم در دورهٔ توان‌بخشی سرپایی. من برای درمان سکتهٔ مغزی آنجا بودم و اصغر برای بازیافتن توانش پس از سه ماه بستری‌شدن در بیمارستان که او را به‌شدت ناتوان کرده بود. شغل پیشین مشترکمان ما را به هم نزدیک کرد: هر دو استاد دانشگاه بودیم. کم‌کم هنگام ناهار کنار هم می‌نشستیم و در فعالیت‌های گروهی نزدیک یکدیگر جای می‌گرفتیم و مشاهداتمان را با هم در میان می‌گذاشتیم. در آن ماه‌ها به دوستی دل‌نشین بدل شد. ذهنی گشوده به روی اندیشه‌های گوناگون داشت، شوخ‌طبع بود، بسیار گرم و مهربان، و ژرف‌اندیش و کنجکاو: دقیقاً همان چیزی که آدم از یک دانشگاهی انتظار دارد، اما همیشه نمی‌بیند. رفته‌رفته دربارهٔ سفر پرپیچ‌وخمش از ایران به ایالات متحده بیشتر آموختم. همین حالا که می‌نویسم، لبخند و سلام گرمش را پیش چشم دارم. پس از آنکه دورهٔ درمان سرپایی‌اش به پایان رسید، ارتباطم را با او حفظ کردم و او و زهرا به خانهٔ ما آمدند. آنجا بود که ماجرای رفتنش به دانشگاه در آمریکا و ترک ایران و رفتن به انگلستان را آغاز کرد. راوی گیرا و شگفت‌انگیزی بود و من تشویقش کردم که زندگی‌اش را بنویسد. داستان او نه‌تنها شگفت‌انگیز، بلکه دل‌گرم‌کننده و الهام‌بخش بود. شنیده‌ام که نوشتن بخشی از آن را آغاز کرده بود. ای کاش فرصت می‌یافت آن را به پایان برساند. دلم با خانواده و دیگر دوستان دیرینه‌اش است. از فقدان او عمیقاً اندوهگین‌ام. مشتاق بودم به‌زودی دوباره او را ببینم و از سفر زندگی‌اش بیشتر بشنوم. جهان وجودی نیک‌خواه و کم‌نظیر را از دست داد. جایش برایم خالی خواهد بود.

دکتر دشتی عزیزم، دوست من، بسیار دلتنگ تو هستیم. دکتر دشتی دوست نزدیک من و همسرم، آزاده بود. او مهربان، باهوش، فروتن و به‌راستی جوانمرد بود. ذهن اندیشمند و توانایی در موضوعاتی چون تاریخ، علم و سیاست داشت. از همین رو، گفت‌وگو با او همیشه چالش‌برانگیز و در همان حال تجربه‌ای دلنشین و گیرا بود. با همه‌ی دانش و آگاهی‌اش، آنچه بیش از هر چیز در یاد می‌ماند این است که با دانسته‌هایش چه اندازه فروتن و ملایم بود. بیشتر از آنکه سخن بگوید، گوش می‌سپرد و آنگاه که سخن می‌گفت، به تو این حس را می‌داد که خودت داناتر شده‌ای. دوست من، دلتنگی ما برای تو بیش از آن است که در واژه‌ها بگنجد. جهان بی تو غمگین‌تر، خالی‌تر و کم‌دانش‌تر شده است. دکتر جان، من و آزاده بسیار دلتنگ تو هستیم. هر بار که واتس‌اپ را باز می‌کنم تا برای دوستی پیام بفرستم، به یاد تو می‌افتم. ای کاش می‌شد یک پیام دیگر برایت بفرستم…🥲

من با او لحظات شاد بسیاری را گذراندم و مسیرهای کوهنوردی بسیاری را با هم پیمودیم. او مرا و خانواده‌ام را به خوبی درک می‌کرد، چرا که ما دو کشور، انگلستان و آمریکا، و نیز ریشه‌های ایرانی‌مان را با هم شریک بودیم. هر بار که بر سر مسائل سیاسی اختلاف نظر داشتیم، او همیشه راهی برای آشتی پیدا می‌کرد. من او را مانند برادر بزرگ‌ترم می‌دانستم. همیشه لبخندی بر لب داشت و مردی بسیار خونگرم و آسان‌گیر بود. او دوستی راستین، پدری بی‌نظیر، همسری فوق‌العاده و فرزندی باورنکردنی بود که تا آخرین لحظه احترام پدر و مادرش را نگاه داشت. هرگز او را فراموش نخواهم کرد و امیدوارم که در جایی بهتر آرام گرفته باشد. 🙏

Greetings and respectful regards to my dear colleagues, I offer my condolences to my esteemed colleagues on the passing of one of the veteran faculty members of Yazd University. I remember it well: it was one of the days of Bahman 1367 when Yazd University was inaugurated in the Ershad building next to the Tourism Hotel. At that gathering, a young man like the rest of those present, with smiling lips and a cheerful face, was sitting beside me. I asked, "Your name?" He said, "I am Ali Asghar Dashti." His colorful clothes and handsome shoes showed that he was a graduate from abroad. The period of the country's reconstruction after the eight-year imposed war between Iraq and Iran had begun, and he had returned to serve his beloved country, Iran. Our friendship continued, and so did his efforts in the Natural Resources department to lay the foundations of a solid faculty, and the passage of time was felt to be swift. Then, in the years 1373 to 1378, he was sent by the university to the University of Liverpool in England to obtain his doctorate. After his return he accepted the deanship of the Faculty of Natural Resources and continued his work at Yazd University for several years. Later he traveled to America and settled there, and he was one of those whom anyone going to America for research or a sabbatical would seek out, and he would welcome them. I will never forget the hospitality of him and his esteemed family on the day I went there for my sabbatical, from the airport and for several days in his home. He was a refuge and shelter for Iranians. May Almighty God place him alongside his ancestor, the Messenger of God (peace be upon him), in the highest paradise, and grant beautiful patience and abundant reward to his esteemed family and to all those he left behind and all who loved him. We mourn the sorrow of his loss. Fazilatfar Ali Mohammad Fazilatfar, Faculty Member of Yazd University

Dear Asghar, the loss of you weighs heavily on my heart. May your soul rest in peace, my devoted friend. From the very beginning of my arrival in America, in September of 1979, I had the honor of being Asghar jan's classmate. For one year we spent our college days together in the city of London, in the state of Kentucky. We were together every day. After college we stayed in touch, and we traveled to each other's homes several times. I am glad that we were constantly in contact. Your memory is dear to me, my righteous friend, pure of nature and devoted to Iran. ♥️ I feel the emptiness left by Asghar jan with my whole being. May God have mercy upon him. From the depths of my heart, I offer my condolences to dear Nasser and the honored family. 🙏🌹🌹🌹 Manouchehr Darabpour, college classmate and close friend

He was one of our old university colleagues, a man of excellent character and always smiling. I had the pleasure of speaking with him on many occasions and benefited from his company. May God immerse him in His mercy and grant all his surviving family patience and long life. Mohammad Fatehi Marji, Colleague at Yazd University

With sorrow at the passing of my old friend Asghar Dashti. During our university years in Kentucky he was a good friend. He was a diligent and honorable man, and I have many memories of him. May God have mercy on his soul. Iraj Aghili

He never dies whose heart has come alive with love: our endurance is inscribed on the register of the world. My acquaintance with Dr. Dashti goes back to the time of his deanship at the Faculty of Natural Resources. He needs no introduction, but his particular qualities were good character, kindness, a sense of responsibility, honesty, integrity of hand and purity of heart, manliness, and devotion to people. In California I had the honor of being his neighbor for more than a year in the city of Irvine, and that was my good fortune. At a time when my family had returned to Iran and I was alone, he would usually come home in the afternoons. One day he called me and said, "I am on my own, and my wife has cooked Yazdi qeymeh; let us have it together." I accepted, and troubled him. He repeated the invitation another time as well. But more important was the trauma incident that befell me. I was truly close to the late Dr. Dashti, Dr. Mohammad Bazzaz and Mr. Mehdi Dehghan. After Irvine, I had rented a house in Westminster that had a natural, beautiful setting, and I invited him to come and see it with a view to moving; he came and liked it, but he did not move there. In the aforementioned incident I was taken to the emergency room at the UCI Medical Center, and after surgery I called him myself, because even my insurance card was inside my house and there was no one to bring it to me. Asghar Agha had apparently taken time off work; he came, took the key to the house, went, took great trouble, and among a great many documents inside he found my card and brought it. On his last trip to Iran, however much I insisted on lunch or dinner, he did not accept because of his work conditions, the pressure of it, and the stress; he only came to my office for an hour or two and we had coffee together. Unfortunately he had a brief confiding of sorrows about the lack of consideration shown him by Yazd University at that time, and then he left. He also let me know about the house he had bought in America. After his heart surgery we had a very short video call through his esteemed brother. His dear, smiling, kind face will never fade from my sight. I ask God to grant steadfast patience and health to every member of his esteemed family: Mrs. Golkarieh, his honored wife, dear Mr. Naser and the precious Miss Parisa, his revered mother, his esteemed sisters and honored brothers, especially Colonel Seyyed Mohammad Dashti. I have some photographs which were lost when my iPhone was reset; if I can recover them, I will send them. 🙏🖤☘️ Seyyed Mostafa Salehi, Retired Professor and Current Visiting Lecturer of the Architecture Department, Science and Arts University

I still can't believe it….. They left so soon… He was an extraordinarily decent man, sincere, a patriot, and possessed of a great heart… My earliest memories of him and his family go back to when I was about 7 years old and we traveled together to England…. Those were very good days; those gatherings, those trips, they still come back to me….. May God have mercy upon him…. May his memory be cherished forever…. Fatemeh N, family friend, neighbor, companion on the journey of studying abroad

Ana Allah and Ana Aliyeh Rajjoon Today was one of those days when my insides were in turmoil and I didn't know why until I came across this unfortunate and shocking news in my group of colleagues at Yazd University: "Unfortunately, Dr. Nazanin Dashti passed away today." I was very, very upset. Their son posted this news on Instagram. "My condolences to all friends and colleagues on the passing of one of our most beloved colleagues. May God rest their souls." Farewell, my dear and compassionate friend and colleague. Your memory has never left my heart and will never leave it. May your soul be happy and your memory eternal. 🖤🖤🖤

دکتر سید علی‌اصغر دشتی استادی محبوب، پژوهشگر، دوست و همسری عزیز بود. اما برای من چشمه‌ای از خرد و پناهگاهی از آرامش بود. او با رفتارش معنای نظم، همدلی، احترام، فروتنی، صداقت، همبستگی و معنویت را به من آموخت. او پدری بود که از عمق جان دلسوزی می‌کرد و هر چه در توان داشت به کار بست تا برای من و خواهرم خانه‌ای پر از شادی و هر فرصت ممکن برای رسیدن به آینده‌ای که آرزویش را داشتیم فراهم کند. شاعران، فیلسوفان، دانشمندان و قهرمانان حقوق بشر را از صمیم قلب می‌ستود. به من آموخت که فراتر از ظاهرها را ببینم و مردم را به حقیقت دل‌هایشان بسنجم. او مردی مؤمن بود، اما عشق را والاترین مرتبهٔ ایمان می‌دانست و قدرت عمل در خدمت به دیگران را به من نشان داد. در سال‌های نخست دانشگاه که سرگشته و گم‌گشته بودم، نامه‌ای چندصفحه‌ای به خط خود برایم نوشت و با فروتنی مرا اندرز داد که با خویشتن صادق باشم و در انتخاب دوستانم خردمند. در سخت‌ترین روزهایم، او همراه مادرم همیشه در کنارم بود؛ پیوسته و بی‌هیچ قید و شرط. هر چه بیشتر به سلامت روحی و عاطفی‌ام اهمیت دادم، نزدیک‌تر شدیم. او فراتر از آنکه پدر مهربان من باشد، بهترین دوستم در سفری میان رازهای زندگی شد. کتاب‌ها، شعرها و تجربه‌هایمان را با یکدیگر قسمت می‌کردیم. همیشه دیدگاه‌های مرا با فروتنی و سپاسی ارج می‌نهاد که به من حس دیده‌شدن، ارزشمندبودن و دوست‌داشته‌شدن می‌داد. سال گذشته، پدرم تحت عمل قلب قرار گرفت؛ عملی که با خطایی مرگبار همراه شد و پس از جراحی، برای لحظاتی کوتاه قلبش از تپش ایستاد. بعدها می‌گفت که خود را رها و آزاد چون پروانه‌ای احساس کرده و ما را از بالا نظاره می‌کرده است. آن حس را چنان شکوهمند توصیف می‌کرد و با این همه، دلش می‌خواست بازگردد. ماه‌های دشواری در پیش بود، اما با اراده‌ای که داشت و با پشتیبانی مادرم، از وابستگی به کپسول اکسیژن و نشستن بر ویلچر به بازیافتن توان و حرکت آزادانه رسید. بی‌نهایت سپاسگزارم که یک سال دیگر را در کنار هم گذراندیم. زمان بیشتری را با خانواده‌مان سپری کرد، به دیدار من آمد و عروسش را در تاجیکستان دید، و توانست با نوهٔ پسری‌اش بازی کند و نوهٔ دختری تازه‌متولدشده‌اش را در آغوش بگیرد. آخرین روزهایش را شاد، تندرست و نیرومند گذراند. چه می‌دانستیم که زمان با هم بودنمان رو به پایان است. بامداد ششم شهریور، در خواب و در سکوت از میان ما رفت. این برای خانواده‌مان شوکی دردناک بود و همچنان هست. با این حال، ما می‌دانیم او که بود، و اگر این زندگی نشانه‌ای از آنچه در پی می‌آید باشد، او اکنون در جایی به‌مراتب بهتر است. برایش نور، آرامش و هماهنگی آرزو می‌کنم. سپاسگزارم که پدر، راهنما و دوست من بودی روحت شاد و یادت گرامی باد دوستت داریم

زارا، پریسا و ناصر عزیز، از شنیدن خبر درگذشت دکتر سید علی‌اصغر دشتی عمیقاً اندوهگین و دل‌شکسته شدم. تصور اینکه دیگر در میان ما نیست بسیار دشوار است، و دلم با همهٔ شما که این‌قدر دوستش دارید همراه است. همان چند باری را که با ایشان گفت‌وگو کردم هرگز فراموش نخواهم کرد. لحظاتی بسیار کوتاه اما پرمعنا بود؛ می‌توانستم حس کنم و بدانم که ایشان انسانی به‌راستی استثنایی است: سرشار از زندگی، با لبخندی مسری، بسیار نرم‌گفتار، و مهربانی‌اش را می‌شد احساس کرد. خاطراتی از خود بر جای گذاشت که تا همیشه با من خواهند ماند. با محبت و همدردی، CORA M. BUENAFE

In the Name of God In Mourning for a Man of the Lineage of Wisdom and Nobility The late Dr. Seyed Ali-Asghar Dashti Some human beings do not merely live. They create meaning, they leave a mark, and even after their departure they continue to live on in the souls and memories of others. The late Dr. Seyed Ali-Asghar Dashti was one of these great ones: a cultured, thoughtful, and honorable man who blended knowledge with ethics, capability with humility, and scholarly standing with magnanimity. In his being, dignity and kindness, composure and warmth, knowledge and humanity all found meaning side by side, and it was these very qualities that made of him an enduring and beloved figure... Today, we sit in mourning for his loss... He who lived in goodness remains in memories... He who taught others continues on in their thoughts... And he who lived with ethics and magnanimity, his name passes beyond the boundary of time... Dr. Dashti has gone, yet his precious legacy, his knowledge, his ethics, his magnanimity, and the good memories of him, still remains, a legacy that will never be consigned to forgetfulness. His loss is a great and irreparable sorrow for his family, his esteemed wife, his dear son and his kind daughter, for his friends, colleagues, students, and all those who knew him. I pray to God for eternal mercy and peace for him, and for patience and forbearance for the grieving survivors. How beautiful it is when, after a person departs, not only an image remains within picture frames, but a luminous memory remains within hearts. And what greater blessing is there than for a person's name to be joined with goodness, learning, and human dignity. The late Dr. Seyed Ali-Asghar Dashti experienced departure from this world, but never being forgotten. May his memory be everlasting in hearts, his name spoken well upon tongues, and his lofty soul at peace in the shelter of God's boundless mercy. In memory and honor of a great man whose absence is a sorrow for today, yet whose memory and legacy are a treasure for tomorrow. 🙏🖤💔 Yet his memory and legacy are a treasure for tomorrow....

Our sorrow at the loss of that dear and honorable soul cannot be contained in words. When they had returned from England, their son, Mr. Naser, was about 10 years old and did not yet have a sufficient command of reading and writing Persian. At the same time as enrolling him in school, they had also engaged a tutor to teach him at home. During one of the examinations, the tutor noticed that Naser had written the answers to two questions incorrectly. He told him the correct answers and asked him to amend them. Naser wrote down the correct answers. But after the tutor left, he crossed out the correct answers and once again wrote the same incorrect ones as before. After the examination, the tutor realized what had happened and asked him in astonishment: "I had told you the correct answer, so why did you write the previous answer again?" Naser replied: "At that time I did not know it, but now I have learned it. If you give me the test again, I will write it correctly." This memory is only a small example of the manner of upbringing and the deep, valuable outlook of that honorable father toward his son: an upbringing founded upon genuine learning, self-confidence, and a true understanding of the meaning of education. The memory and name of the departed will always be cherished. We ask Almighty God to grant him peace and His boundless mercy, and to grant his esteemed family patience and forbearance. May his soul rest in joy and his memory be honored. Reza Abdolrezazadeh, Brother-in-law

My first meeting with the late Doctor goes back some 40 years ago, when he had just returned from America. He and his late father and mother had come to our town, and they were so kind and gracious, always with a smile on their lips. Even though it was our first meeting, I was drawn to that bright, kind face of his. The moment of farewell was truly hard for us, as though we had been friends for years. What a loss, what a great loss, that we have lost such a friend. For Nasser Khan and his esteemed family I wish patience and divine reward, and for him I pray for God's forgiveness and mercy. May his soul be joyful and enveloped in divine mercy 🖤🖤🖤🖤

Greetings, When I was in primary school, Asghar Agha (my aunt's husband) would carefully and patiently draw the illustrations from my textbooks into my notebook, so that I could do my homework with more enjoyment and better understanding. Throughout my years of schooling and afterwards, he always shared with me a wealth of valuable experience and lessons that I will never forget. His memory will always live on in my heart. May his soul rest in peace, and may his memory be honoured.

Brother Asghar, Mr. Dashti, was a truly sincere and pure-hearted man. I came to know him in England, and for several years we had the honor of his friendship and of visits between our families. Losing such a dear friend has left a great sorrow in our hearts. May God Almighty grant joy to his soul and encompass him in His boundless mercy. I offer my condolences to Dr. Dashti, to Parisa, and to Nasser. Siavash Aminnejad, Family Friend

If wine did not carry the heart's sorrow from our memory, the onslaught of calamity would tear our very foundation from its place. (Hafez) The sorrowful news of the passing of our dear friend, the beloved Dr. Dashti, amid this flood of bitter events and the deep wounds inflicted upon our homeland and our compatriots, has caused great grief and anguish. Dr. Dashti's purity of heart and his simple way of living, together with his openhearted manner and his kindness, are unforgettable. May his pure soul find eternal peace in the presence of the Almighty. For his esteemed wife and children, I wish patience in the absence of that dear one who has journeyed on. Fakhreddin (Mohammad) Mirkhalaf, friend and fellow PhD student in Liverpool

With the deepest sorrow and grief, I offer my sincere condolences to his esteemed family on the passing of the late Dr. Dashti. Dr. Dashti and his dear family hold a precious place among the beautiful memories of the years of our lives. Our children, who spent their childhood years together in England, have left us sweet and lasting memories of those days, memories that, even after all these years, remain alive and dear in our minds and hearts. Dr. Dashti was not merely a family friend to us. He was a man of honor, nobility, warmth toward others, and true decency, and he always enjoyed a special place of respect and affection among friends and acquaintances. His presence in any gathering, with that warm spirit and his sweet and endearing company, left behind a happy and enduring memory. We shall always remember him with respect and love. Although the esteemed Dashti family left England more than twenty years ago, neither the passage of time nor distance was ever able to dim the bond of friendship and affection between our families, and this precious connection has endured throughout all these years. For me and my family, the name and memory of dear Dr. Dashti are bound to the memories of good and heartfelt years that, without doubt, will never be forgotten with the passing of time. For dear Mrs. Dashti, dear Parisa and dear Naser, and all the members of their esteemed family, I wish, from the bottom of my heart, patience, peace, and good health. May his soul rest in joy, and may his cherished memory forever remain dear and enduring. Ladan Shayanfar (Aminnejad), Family Friend

I first met Dr. Dashti in 1993, when my father bought an import permit for a car from him for five hundred thousand tomans, and with that permit we imported a Toyota for his own personal use. From that time onward, given my job and my responsibilities at Yazd University, I had a great deal of contact with him. My best memory goes back to 2022, when I was living in America and traveled from Michigan to California with my wife and son to visit him, and we were guests of him and his kind wife for several days. Whatever I say about the hospitality of him and his good and kind wife, Mrs. Golkarieh, would still fall short. At UC Irvine he had rented a small plot of farmland from the university, where he grew tomatoes and other summer vegetables, and almost every day we would go there together to pick the ripened produce and water the garden. At that time the doctor occasionally had minor heart trouble, and after two years he decided to move to the city where his daughter, grandchild, and family lived. There he underwent that fateful surgery at the hospital, contracted an infection from the operating room, and was never able to regain his health, until this sorrowful event came to pass. Two days before his passing, he sent me a piece of music with a song by an unknown singer, the content of which spoke of farewell and so on, which I posted in his memory on my own Instagram page, @mahmudkhodadad. May his soul be joyful and his memory eternal. Mahmoud Khodadad, Friend and Colleague

A photograph of the late one, who graced our city with their presence forty years ago, together with their family. May God have mercy upon them 🖤 Esparham

Hello. I came to know him around 2001, when he took on the deanship of the Faculty of Natural Resources for the second time. He had a very composed and dignified character, and those of us who were younger all felt at ease in his presence and benefited from his rich experience. When he emigrated to America, he entrusted his plot of land, which was next to our home, to me so that I would make sure no one encroached upon it. After the wall was built, he also gave me a key so that if any problem arose I could go in and take care of it. Once, when he had come to Yazd, I told him that people were offering a good price for the land and that he should sell it. He said, "No, Doctor, this land is the excuse for us to return one day." Throughout these years I was always waiting for him to come back and build on his land, so that we might benefit from being his neighbors and enjoying his company. Sadly, this news took us by surprise. May his soul rest in joy. Ali Akbar Karimian, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Resources of Yazd

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful "Indeed, we belong to God, and indeed, to Him we shall return." With the utmost regret, sorrow, and profound grief, news of the passing of the learned scholar, distinguished professor, and pioneer in the field of natural resources sciences, the late Dr. Seyed Ali-Asghar Dashti, has brought deep sadness and mourning to the great family of Yazd University and to the scientific and academic community of the nation. Undoubtedly, the name and memory of that late professor are inseparably bound to the history of higher education, and in particular to the founding and flourishing of the Faculty of Natural Resources and Desert Studies at Yazd University. He was not only among the influential founders and intellectual architects of this scholarly institution, but also, during two terms as dean of that faculty, with prudent management, an indefatigable spirit, and a development-oriented vision, laid firm foundations for the training of generations of specialists and guardians of the nature of this land. His blessed and continuous presence in the arena of teaching and research until 1387 (2008) added golden pages of honor and virtue to the annals of Yazd University's history. His emigration abroad never severed his heartfelt bond and scholarly commitment to his birthplace and his home university; his genuine love for his homeland and his boundless concern for the advancement and excellence of natural resources knowledge in Iran endured until the final days of his fruitful life. The precious and enduring act of that noble man of learning in 1398 (2019), in donating the collection of rare books from his personal library to Yazd University, stands as clear testimony to his deep love and devotion to the scholarly vitality of the students and researchers of this land, and as a shining example of the goodly tradition of disseminating knowledge and of enduring good works (bāqiyāt al-ṣāliḥāt). On behalf of the faculty members, students, and staff of Yazd University, I sincerely offer my condolences and sympathy for this sorrowful and irreparable loss to the national and international scientific community, especially to his grieving colleagues and students at Yazd University, as well as to the honorable and esteemed Dashti family and the other dear survivors. From the Almighty God I beseech, for that late professor, divine forgiveness and boundless mercy, elevation of his station, and companionship with the righteous and the virtuous; and for the noble survivors and grieving loved ones, beautiful patience and abundant reward. May his name and memory ever remain cherished and immortal in the scientific and academic firmament of Iran. Seyed Heydar Mirfakhreddini, President of Yazd University

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful "Indeed, we belong to God, and indeed, to Him we shall return." With the deepest sorrow and grief, the news of the passing of the veteran professor and enduring figure in the field of agricultural sciences and natural resources, the late Dr. Seyed Ali Asghar Dashti, has occasioned profound and heartrending sadness. ▪️Without doubt, the departed was not only a source of pride for Yazd University, but also a valuable asset for all the scientific and academic centers of Yazd Province, including Ardakan University. His unparalleled efforts in founding the Faculty of Natural Resources at Yazd University, and consequently in laying the foundation of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Ardakan University, together with his training of countless generations of students and his generous donation of his personal library to Yazd University, bore witness to his abundant love for learning and for the advancement of the culture of this land. Undoubtedly, the loss of this eminent professor constitutes an irreparable blow to the scientific community of the province and the country, and surely the memory of that late scholar will forever remain alive in the minds of the province's academics. ▪️While offering my condolences to the family of the deceased, to the esteemed faculty members, the dear students, and all the staff of the academic centers of Yazd, I beseech Almighty God to grant the departed His forgiveness, His boundless mercy, and companionship with the friends of God, and to grant the bereaved beautiful patience, reward, and good health. Dr. Ahmad Fattahi, President of Ardakan University

Greetings to you, When I entered the Faculty of Natural Resources in 1384 (2005) as a student, Dr. Dashti was the dean of the faculty there. At that time, Dr. Dashti was the very symbol of reaching great aspirations for the young generations who had just stepped into a new stage of life. Looking at his abilities and the path he had traveled was deeply inspiring and motivating. Years later, it was because of this very inspiration that I came to America for my doctoral studies, and I was able to take the next steps, steps I owe to having looked up to great people such as Dr. Dashti. In my view, Dr. Dashti was the true example of this truth: "Be the change you wish to see in the world." And of course, his presence and the path he walked brought those near him and around him to a distinct kind of success. How I wish I had known you were in California, so that I might have visited you…

خانوادهٔ محترم دشتی، با نهایت تأسف از درگذشت همکار و دوست بازنشستهٔ عزیزمان، دکتر اصغر دشتی، آگاه شدیم. اصغر در طول ۱۷ سال خدمت خود در کمیسیون اراضی ایالتی کالیفرنیا، در بخش حفاظت از محیط زیست دریایی (MEPD) در لانگ‌بیچ، عضوی ارزشمند و محترم از خانوادهٔ کاری ما بود. تعهد، حرفه‌ای‌گری و مهربانی او در ذهن همهٔ ما که افتخار همکاری در کنار او را داشتیم، اثری ماندگار بر جای گذاشت. در این زمان اندوهبار، عمیق‌ترین همدردی و حمایت خود را به شما تقدیم می‌کنیم. بدانید که خانوادهٔ دشتی همواره در یاد و اندیشهٔ ما هستند. امیدواریم مهر و محبت شما را در بر گیرد و آرامش به شما ارزانی دارد. در این فقدان بزرگ، از صمیم قلب با شما هم‌دردیم. با عمیق‌ترین تسلیت، همکاران اصغر در کمیسیون اراضی ایالتی کالیفرنیا - MEPD

We came to know the late Dr. Dashti during our first months in Liverpool, when we arrived to study there in 1995, and from the very beginning we were drawn to his warm, well-informed and profoundly honest character. His command of spoken English was quite remarkable among the students of that time. Those were precious days for all of us, and their memory will remain in our hearts. Although we kept in touch through social media, years had passed since we last spoke, until a few months ago, when he himself called to ask how we were, and it was then that he briefly told us the story of his illness. In the enchanting words of Khayyam (which the departed himself had hummed in a clip on Instagram): We are the puppets and the heavens the puppeteer, in truth, and not in metaphor. For a while we played upon this stage, then one by one returned into the box of nothingness. May his memory be blessed. Hossein Sharifi

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful "Indeed, to God we belong, and to Him we shall return." The sorrowful passing of the late Dr. Seyed Ali Asghar Dashti, an accomplished professor and influential scholarly figure of Yazd University, has been the cause of profound grief and sorrow. Without doubt, the loss of such professors, who have devoted their lives to the path of knowledge, teaching, research, and service to this land and its natural resources, is not a loss for the family and the academic community alone. Rather, it is a bereavement for the entire scientific and administrative body of the province and for all those concerned with the field of natural resources and the environment. Dr. Dashti, with his valuable knowledge and insight, both in his position as a university professor and during his tenure of responsibility at the Faculty of Natural Resources and Desert Studies, played an enduring role in advancing the science of natural resources and in training generations of specialists in this field. His scholarly and conscientious approach to the issues of the land, nature, and natural resources will remain a valuable model for students, researchers, and managers in this domain. The name and memory of professors such as Dr. Dashti endure not only in books and scholarly works, but also in the thought and the life course of the students and the generations who have learned from their knowledge and their character. Undoubtedly, his scientific and humane legacy will be a guiding light for those who continue along this path. While expressing my heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the honored and esteemed family of the deceased, to the academic community of Yazd Province, to his colleagues, his students, and all who love knowledge and nature, I ask Almighty God to grant the late professor His boundless mercy and forgiveness, and to grant patience and forbearance to those he has left behind. May his soul rest in joy, his memory be everlasting, and his path be followed by many. Hassan Akbari, Director General of Environmental Protection of Yazd Province

"But give glad tidings to the patient, who, when afflicted with calamity, say: 'Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return.'" The news of the passing of the esteemed professor, the late Dr. Seyed Ali-Asghar Dashti, is a grievous loss for the academic and administrative community of Yazd Province. He was not only a distinguished member of the faculty of Yazd University, but through his sagacity and scholarly vision during his tenure as dean of the Faculty of Natural Resources and Desert Studies, he played an incomparable role in bridging academic science and the management of natural areas. I offer my condolences on the loss of this cherished and learned man, who strove with genuine concern for the preservation of this land's national assets, to his bereaved family, to the university community, and to all who care deeply for nature. It is my hope that his knowledge and invaluable experience will continue to light the way for his students and for all who pursue the science of natural resources. May his soul rest in joy and his memory be honored. Reza Bagheri Fahraji, Director General of Natural Resources and Watershed Management of Yazd Province

While offering my condolences to his family and to all his friends, I must say that throughout those several years at university he was always smiling. My last meeting with him was a few years ago in California. We graduated from the University of Kentucky about 40 years ago, yet we kept up our friendship until this past Father's Day, when I sent him my congratulations and received no reply, until friends gave me this news. There is nothing to be done. May his soul be joyful. Hassan Monfared, Friend and Classmate at the University of Kentucky

زارا، پریسا و ناصر عزیز، لطفاً تسلیت قلبی ما را به مناسبت درگذشت دکتر اصغر دشتی بپذیرید. فقدان او را همهٔ کسانی که افتخار همکاری با او و شناختنش را، هم به عنوان همکار و هم به عنوان دوست، داشته‌اند، به عمق جان احساس می‌کنند. اصغر نه‌تنها کارشناس متعهد داده‌های پژوهشی (سطح دو) در کمیسیون اراضی ایالتی کالیفرنیا بود، جایی که نقشی حیاتی در پیشبرد مدیریت دانش برای مقررات پایانه‌های دریایی ایفا کرد، بلکه انسانی کم‌نظیر نیز بود. او کنجکاوی، تفکر انتقادی و فروتنی را به هر گفت‌وگو می‌آورد. راوی با محبت به یاد می‌آورد که چگونه گفت‌وگوهای پرشور ما هنگام ناهار اغلب با کتاب‌هایی که او دوست داشت آغاز می‌شد. دو کتاب از میان آن‌ها برجسته بودند: «انسان خردمند» و «۲۱ درس برای قرن ۲۱» نوشتهٔ یووال نوح هراری. اصغر این موهبت را داشت که اندیشه‌های بزرگ را با سادگی و روشنی بکاود و هر گفت‌وگو را معنادار سازد. او با آمیزه‌ای کمیاب از صمیمیت و احترام رفتار می‌کرد و با همه، فارغ از جایگاه یا پیشینه‌شان، با گرمایی راستین سخن می‌گفت. مهربانی او فراتر از کلام بود. کارکنان بخش تأسیسات دریایی سال‌ها غذاهای لذیذ ایرانی را به یاد خواهند داشت که او هر سال در فصل شکرگزاری با عشق آماده می‌کرد و به مهمانی دورهمی بین‌المللی می‌آورد. آن گردهمایی‌ها به برکت وجود او روشن‌تر می‌شد. خانواده‌های ما در دیگر مراسم و دورهمی‌ها نیز از دوستی خانوادهٔ اصغر بهره‌مند بودند. اصغر میراثی از درستکاری، سخاوت و کنجکاوی فکری بر جای گذاشت. او همچنین عشق همسر فداکارش، زارا، و افتخاری را که نسبت به فرزندانش، پریسا و ناصر، در دل داشت، بر جای نهاد. یادش مایهٔ آرامش شما باد، و خاطره‌ها، خنده‌ها و مهربانی‌هایی که او با دیگران قسمت کرد، همچنان الهام‌بخش همهٔ کسانی باشد که او را می‌شناختند. با عمیق‌ترین همدردی، راوی و جودیت وارما سایپرس، کالیفرنیا

First of all, I offer my heartfelt condolences on the passing of Asghar to his family and friends. My friendship with Asghar began in 1979, when we both enrolled at a college in the town of London, in southern Kentucky. I was a young man who had just graduated from high school, far from every friend and familiar face, a stranger. Asghar treated me the way an older brother treats his own younger brother. During the hostage crisis, when Americans were very angry with Iranians and were constantly causing trouble for us (it was a hard and difficult time), throughout that whole period Asghar never forgot his younger brother, and he did whatever he could to help me, whether in my studies or in life. I have good memories of Asghar, and I will always be indebted to him.

I came to know the late Dr. Dashti more closely from the time, in 1373-1374, when we were both applying for admission and to be sent abroad for doctoral studies, and we both travelled to England at almost the same time. Even before our departure, he would humbly offer his colleagues useful advice on how to obtain admission and on learning English. As it happened, he and Dr. Nakhkash went on to study at the University of Liverpool, while Dr. Sadeghieh and I studied at Cardiff University. Over the course of the many encounters I had with him, I found him to be a noble, rational, mature, kind and endearing man, always with a smile on his lips yet firm and serious, a capable and cultivated manager, well informed on current affairs, an able analyst of economic and political conditions at home and abroad, and of course a devoted husband and father to his family. In truth, all of these qualities together are found in very few people, and that departed soul, with his great spirit, had gathered them all within himself. Once again, I offer my condolences on the passing of that dear one who has journeyed on to his esteemed family, his other relatives, his colleagues and all who held him dear. May his memory be forever cherished and enduring in our hearts. Mehdi Fallah Tafti, friend and colleague

Condolences to the family and friends I have a great many memories from more than 40 years of friendship with dear Asghar: from our university days in Richmond, Kentucky, to being roommates in Lexington, and the many trips we took together. Throughout our university years we were always by each other's side, helping one another. For many years we stayed in touch, talking about the past, old memories, and the good days of our lives, and what a great deal of joking and laughter we shared. Asghar was truly a very good, kind, and lovable friend, and his absence is deeply difficult and painful for me and for all the friends who knew him. His good memories will always remain in our hearts. I offer my sincere condolences on this great loss to his esteemed wife, Parisa Khanom, to Agha Naser, and to all members of the family, and I wish them patience and forbearance. May his memory be cherished, and may his soul rest in peace. Shahpour, Friend

Let me weep like a cloud in springtime, for even stone cries out on the day of parting from friends. The news of the passing of the friend and lifelong companion of the faculty members of the School of Natural Resources, the dear and honorable Dr. Seyed Ali Asghar Dashti, is deeply painful, sorrowful, and unbelievable. My condolences to his esteemed family and to all my dear colleagues. He was a great man: noble, affectionate, beloved, and broad-minded, with a soul free of rancor and a compassionate heart. Throughout his tenure as director, calm and warmth always prevailed in the school, and with breadth of vision, devotion, and a strong sense of duty he made great efforts for the advancement and elevation of the school. When he accepted emigration so that his children might continue their studies, he had no intention of settling permanently abroad. Unfortunately, certain administrative difficulties and unkindnesses meant that the school was deprived forever of that noble man's valuable service. Yet he always had the school in his thoughts and never severed his ties with his colleagues. Over all these years I remained in contact with him, and I felt his love for Iran, and especially for Yazd University and the School of Natural Resources, in his very being. Once, when I traveled to America, I witnessed hospitality and generosity in every part of his character. O God, we saw nothing from him but goodness and virtue. Raise him up with his pure forefathers and with his mother Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her). May his soul be joyful and may the highest paradise be his abode. O Saadi, a man of good name never dies; dead is the one whose name is not remembered with goodness. Seyyed Zeynolabedin Hosseini, Colleague and Friend

I was deeply saddened and shocked to hear of the passing of Ebn-e Jouri, that fine and cultivated man. My acquaintance with him goes back to Shahrivar 1374, when I went to Yazd University to be hired and took over the teaching of the Ecology course in his place, as the doctor was leaving for Liverpool to continue his studies. After he returned from his studies we were colleagues again for several years, and quite frankly he was one of the finest and most honorable colleagues I have had in these thirty-odd years. May God have mercy upon him. Mohammad Reza Elmi, Longtime Colleague