Statements in Meeting with the Minister and Officials of the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education and Several University Presidents

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

One feels deeply pleased to see a committed and truly devoted group working at the highest levels of higher education for the revolution and religion. God willing, may God protect Dr. Mo'in and you gentlemen and grant you success. We are pleased that you are at the helm and that the fundamental destiny of our future's most essential institution is in the hands of our own people. We hope that God will assist you, as it is a heavy task.

The budget issues you mentioned are not new to me. Some government officials may not have contact with us, but you—whether Dr. Mo'in or some of you gentlemen—have repeatedly had meetings with me and raised these same issues and expressions, like the one Mr. Salimi mentioned, in that meeting where several gentlemen were present. In any case, these issues are familiar to my ears. When I compare, I see that expectations were less in the past, but now they have increased. This, thanks be to God, is a sign of progress.

A few years ago, before Mr. Eftekhari Hosseini's responsibility at Tarbiat Modares University, I visited there. They complained to me that they needed eighty thousand dollars to buy books but did not have it. I was truly pained to the core. Of course, I had no means to give them; I did not have the budget, money, or resources. I spoke with the government, the Prime Minister, and anyone I could, and I repeated it many times. When it came to discussions of currency and money and some donations, I would recall it and say that when such needs exist, it is not appropriate to prioritize non-essential matters over these; especially now that needs have expanded and increased.

As I said, I will help as much as I can and will also tell the parliament. If I had money myself, you should know I would not hesitate to spend it on these good paths; however, you know that I do not have money at my disposal to answer these needs. It is said:

To the ground, I am humbled by the poverty of the needy

Lack of wealth did to me what wealth did to Qarun

Qarun went underground because of wealth; but in truth, we because of lack!

In any case, you know the state of the country. Dr. Mo'in, Mr. Rahami, and some gentlemen who have been in parliament and decision-making bodies know the state of the country. Of course, now it is much better than before. If you compare now to the years 1985, 1986, and 1987—those years that were truly years of the country's poverty—you will see that now it is a bit better. Of course, you are right, and I agree that looking at higher education as a long-term investment point is not a serious view.

If we do not have knowledge and scholars, we will not have industry either. Now, suppose we fill this pool with manual water, but ultimately, where will this water spring from? Immediate matters often blind the eyes of the country's planners. Perhaps they are not to blame because immediate needs are truly vast and important. Nevertheless, they must also have this perspective.

I am sure Mr. Hashemi is attentive to this issue. Surely Dr. Mo'in sees him in the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. You see that he is not the same Mr. Hashemi whom we used to insistently bring to the council meetings every few months. Now he is truly attentive to this issue and feels responsible. It is good that it is also said there. I have no problem saying whatever is necessary to him and to the parliament—the Higher Education Commission and the Budget and Planning Commission; however, I know that their resources do not accommodate my orders. I cannot order that you must do this because I am certain that if they follow this order, an uncalculated action will be taken; because the government and its various commissions and the Budget and Planning Commission are there to maintain balance.

Ultimately, "the one in need does not see beyond his need." You see your need and are right; but beside you, there is another section that also has a need; it also has a right. When one does not have, one must divide the lack among the institutions and give whatever is there to them justly. Therefore, I will not give orders and will not say decisively; but I will strongly recommend; I have no problem.

Now that resources are weak, dedicate a part of your efforts to see what can be done with weak resources to gain the most benefit. This is one of those masterful tricks of the trade. See, if there is plenty of fabric, even a clumsy tailor can make this robe. If the fabric is scarce, the master tailor is the one who can make this robe from it. Now that your fabric is scarce, you must bring it out in such a way. Show mastery here.

In my opinion, this work has two paths: one material path; and that is, in these planning areas, Dr. Sayari and the other brothers who think in this area should see what the definite priorities in higher education are. Now, with this budget you have, see where it is more necessary to spend. That is, truly consider "the most necessary after the most necessary" and observe the priorities.

I am not unfamiliar with the state of the government and its various sectors. In these few years when we were in straits, despite the existence of straits, in some places, there were inappropriate lavishnesses; while elsewhere, they were starving! You cannot say that higher education is exempt from this issue; or because now higher education is in our hands, we are exempt. No, after all, those who were there were also our good brothers. Those who did this did not want to betray; they made a mistake. Every human can make a mistake. Be careful, consider the priorities precisely and see where can be cut for the benefit of other places.

The second path is the spiritual path; and that is, we must not neglect spirituality in universities. There is no need for me to recommend it to you. You know how much trust and confidence I have in you in all areas; however, my fear is that our established and clear principles may be neglected.

See, those who sat under missiles and launched such and such a project for war or non-war, why did they sit? Money did not make them sit. Be careful, that other factor that made them sit should not be weakened in universities. You must truly reach this point. Of course, I tell the Islamic associations that come here the same things; I tell the academic jihad that comes; I tell the representatives that come; there is no doubt. These are the direct officials of such matters; but you who are responsible for the university, in my opinion, are more responsible for this issue than all of them. Try to ensure that these internal university valuations—spiritual values—are truly carried out correctly.

You mentioned keeping your apparatus away from factional and current issues. Of course, I did not expect anything else from you, and from the beginning, I did not know your spirit to be otherwise; thanks be to God, it is so. Bring this spirit into the university and do not let our Muslim students fight so much over factional and current issues.

I know the university. Our motivated Muslim in the university is overall a small minority. Not that others are irreligious; no, the majority are Muslim, and there is a minority that is motivated in irreligion; but that motivated force that we call Hezbollah is a small number.

A person is not called Hezbollah just because they are religious; Hezbollah is someone who is motivated to move in religious directions. These are overall a small number. Even at Tarbiat Modares University, it is the same. That is, there too, despite all the investments you all have made and the system has made from the beginning, the nature of the matter is still the same. Even though so much selection is done, still that motivation that alongside studying, has another sacred value, is rare. With this situation, now even these are at each other's throats and, as always, are fighting with each other! Do not let it happen, intervene, bring them closer together, reconcile them, and ask them to work together. Do not unjustly strengthen or weaken one beside the other. Make them understand this important issue.

Try to ensure that in these research centers and the like, good Muslim children enter. Of course, I have given these reminders to those brothers in the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education—where there are some complaints from those places; I am telling you too. Efforts must be made for good brothers, faithful children, those who have truly accepted the revolution from the bottom of their hearts, to go to those centers where tomorrow's work will be with them, and it should not happen that now that the way is open and everyone can come, God forbid, the system, Islam, and Muslims suffer any harm. These spiritual aspects must be greatly observed.

Mr. Rahami mentioned the deprived students. The money you want to give as loans does not need to be divided among all of them. Again, here too, observe the priorities. If you really see that eight hundred tomans is not enough, consider, for example, a thousand tomans. Suppose that those one hundred thousand people are eighty thousand people. That is, it should not be that one wants to establish balance or equality among different student classes. No, because some who live in their own city do not need it; some who move from one city to another and have resources do not need it; some only want pocket money and nothing else; some truly need it.

We must not remain unaware of the state of poor deprived students. Of course, there are also institutions that give loans; like that Imam Reza Foundation where some of our friends worked and recently corresponded with me that they want to give loans to some; I have also approved it. It is possible that some students may also receive help from other places; there is no problem, let them do it; but you also do this as a ministry.

The issue of propaganda is right. I truly accept that in propaganda, higher education is very isolated. Now you mentioned radio and television; you must remedy this. In this regard, I will seriously help you. Think about what should be done. I have no problem, I will definitely order radio and television and oblige them to report your reports. For example, when you have a report somewhere that you want to present—from professors, classes, universities, and educational movements—plan it, so we can tell them to come and report; people will also see and be happy and understand what their youth are doing and what the government is doing for them.

Just saying your news—like appointment news and the like—is very good. When an ambassador or governor is sent somewhere, their news is reported; why should the news of a professor or university president who goes to Isfahan or Tabriz not be reported? It should be reported. Think about things like this; I will help in these areas wherever appropriate; I have no problem.

I intend to start a series of travels across the country with the aim of direct and close contact with the people. My initial intention is this, and I want to go; because I always traveled, had close contact with people, and many of the people's issues that cannot be known from afar and through letters, reports, messages, and the like, one can understand and become aware of in one glance. If something can be done from these travels in the direction of your activities, I will do it.

In any case, we ask the Almighty God to help you and grant you success. We are behind. May God curse those treacherous hands that, from the time of the Qajars and at their peak during the Pahlavi era, wasted and suspended these talents that were mentioned in this country. Iran is a center of talent; it is not just now. In history and in all the transformations of celestial events, how many people like Avicenna can emerge? Suppose that in every thousand years, ten of these emerge. In this last thousand years, most of these ten—like Avicennas, Farabis, Khwarizmis, Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razis—are from Iran. These are the fundamental founders of human knowledge.

I have heard from many individuals that even today, in the world's research centers, wherever there are Iranians—whether students or Iranian researchers—they shine. Essentially, Iranians are outstanding. Perhaps the number of good ones in some countries is more than ours; but they do not have outstanding ones. From the time of Naser al-Din Shah to Mohammad Reza Shah—may God curse each of them—they crushed talents. They were each worse than the other. Before them, it was the same; but for now, we are not dealing with the previous ones. Those we know whose blows directly hit all our existence and we feel it are these. They made it worse day by day and pulled us back to the depths of misery.

That cursed, wretched, truly vile regime took spirituality, materiality, dignity, talent, and everything from these people. Now you want to build on their ruins; it is laborious and requires a lot of effort. We must inject the spirit of selfless research, so that for research, they do not seek rewards; because research has no real reward. For example, if one wants to pay Pasteur for discovering the microbe, how much do you think should be given? Can any amount be determined for him? Is it even comparable? Therefore, people like Pasteur never researched for money. If they researched for money, they would not have truly reached this point. Europeans had this virtue; just as our ancient scholars did. You see, people like Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi—that such a scholar—die in poverty and hardship; but we, as soon as we do a job, immediately ask how much was its money?! It is clear that it does not reach anywhere!

God willing, your "Ya Mahdi" project, if it has these characteristics, will be completed much sooner and better and will reach somewhere. God willing, you will succeed.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings