Statements in Meeting with a Group of Scientific Elites and Selected Individuals

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

I am truly grateful to God from the bottom of my heart and I thank the Almighty for you dear youth. In my opinion, every well-wisher for the country, every person concerned about the fate of the country, should thank God for giving us individuals like you. I am very grateful for this great blessing. Thanks be to God, we have good, faithful, talented, ready-to-work, lively, and vibrant youth; what more could a nation want for progress?

The points that friends have made here were very good; they were truly well thought out and worked on. Of course, I should mention that every movement has its drawbacks; as the saying goes, every dictation has its mistakes. The way to avoid mistakes is not to write the dictation. Our nation is currently writing a heavy dictation; the officials, the government, and the nation are traversing a difficult path. It is natural to stumble, to slip, to fall at times. It is natural to get a bit tired or to lag behind; we should not be frightened by this. It is not that I am upset by mentioning flaws and criticisms; rest assured, we have no qualms about criticism and expressing faults. We ourselves say this and are ready to listen; there is no problem with that. Let it not be imagined that pointing out flaws is a flaw; however, what is important is that the existence of flaws should not make us doubtful about the correctness of the path; it should not make us unstable in our work. As soon as one of the companions, for instance, gets tired, or sits down, or wants to drink a bit of water, or faces a problem, we should not forget where we are headed. We should always keep the peak in front of our eyes. This is my message.

The points that friends have made, some of them are indeed related to the issues of elites - which pertains to the Elites Foundation - and some go beyond the issue of elites, which I have noted down, and God willing, the statements of brothers and sisters will also be taken into account in the office and conveyed to the officials. Well, some of the officials are also present here, and these points will be taken into consideration by them. Therefore, some of these points go beyond the issue of elites; they pertain to the issue of science, related to the advancement of science. In these areas, points were made that I believe were very correct. Some things also have executive aspects, which again relates to Ms. Soltankhah, in her capacity as the scientific deputy of the President. Of course, she is correct; this work is similar to interdisciplinary fields in universities; it is an interdisciplinary work and somehow relates to everyone. Various institutions should also assist her. I have heard - not from official reports; I have heard from unofficial reports - that very good work has been done or is hopefully in the process of being done, and we hope to see their outcomes.

Right here, I should mention; this document that she referred to is a very important task. The fact that they said a national document for elites has been drafted or is being drafted or is in the stages of approval was good news for me. All the problems that were mentioned stem from the lack of such a document. We have the issue of identifying elites. Before identifying an elite, we have the identification of superior talents that will gradually become elites; because not every person with superior talent is an elite; they gradually become elites. So first is the identification of superior talents, then the path of this superior talent towards becoming an elite, and then reaching the point of productivity - which is actually the point of becoming an elite, which usually occurs at the level of graduate studies and doctoral studies, at which point this youth becomes an elite - after that, the continuation of the elite's work.

Everyone should pay attention - perhaps all of you are aware - when someone attains the title of "elite," their work has just begun. It is a mistake to think that now someone has become an elite, so they are at ease, they have some privileges, they have a name; no, when we become elites, this is the beginning of the road. Well, if we want to see all these stages and follow them correctly and draft them, we need the very document that she referred to. Therefore, this document is important. I emphasize; now that it has been drafted, God willing, it should be completed or corrected or approved quickly - whatever needs to be done - and come into the stage of execution and become operational.

I will refer to a few points that friends have expressed. Regarding the issue of cultural elitism and the cultural offspring of elites that our dear daughter mentioned, I have really not heard anything in this regard. Although I think I hear various reports on different issues, this was very new to me. She said they have examples at hand. It must be conveyed to me, meaning a report should be written. If such a thing exists, it is very bad. I have not heard anything noteworthy in this regard. Of course, it may be that the son or daughter of a certain official boasts in high school or university that I am, for example, the son of so-and-so, but if this becomes a process of education, it will have effects on selection, on gaining more literacy, and so on, it is very bad. If such a phenomenon exists, it must be stopped. I ask the lady who expressed this matter to write these instances down and mention them to me.

Another point is that one of the friends said that the youth are doing good work, thinking about various issues, but there is no opportunity for them to be raised and to have an impact. For example, in the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council, or in the strategic meetings that were mentioned - which God willing will continue - the youth should also participate. Of course, this is a logical statement, this is a correct statement; certainly, the presence of youth in some areas has an impact. Let me say this; you all are young, and I am speaking to you dear youth - who are all my children, my offspring - I say to you in a friendly and paternal manner; it is not the case that in all areas, the presence of youth is positive. One of the ladies criticized the judiciary and said that bringing in young judges leads to the inefficiency of the judiciary; judges must be seasoned. Very well, this was a very interesting statement; I noted this down. In some areas, it is indeed like that. Of course, in some areas - which are not limited - the presence of youth has very positive, constructive, and progressive effects; it opens up a new space and a new horizon for everyone; but it is not like that everywhere. In any case, youth must certainly be utilized, but let me say this; see, dear ones! Your thoughts and the work you have done and the new path you have found, the proposal that has come to your mind, its impact is not only that it should be immediately transferred to the executive apparatus and immediately become operational; no, that is not the only impact. One of the most important impacts of this thinking is that you create space, you create discourse. As a result, in a space that believes in a certain intellectual or practical foundation, the President thinks that way, the Minister thinks that way, the Director-General thinks that way, and all the staff think that way; this is good. And you do this work. Think, speak, write, reflect in your gatherings; those free-thinking seats that I have emphasized a hundred times - with variations - should be established, and these should be said there repeatedly; this creates a space. When a discursive space is created, everyone thinks in that space, everyone finds direction in that space, everyone works in that space; this is what you want. Therefore, if the work you did, for example, in your certain meeting, in your student group, the thought you had, was not translated into operations, did not become a law or an executive directive, do not be discouraged; do not say that our work was useless; no. And I tell you; in these past fifteen or sixteen years, this scientific movement that has begun has started in this way; it has progressed like this day by day.

One day, certain things were said that sounded heavy to the ears. One day, I raised the issue of "producing knowledge," and then I saw that in some places they were sitting on the term "producing knowledge" and questioning it - now a verbal dispute - that knowledge cannot be produced! Today, this has become a definite discourse; you are complaining that this work is not progressing at a specific stage. This is a significant advancement. Therefore, we must work. And work, think; it certainly has an impact.

I was asked about my opinion on basic sciences. As mentioned, I have discussed basic sciences several times. I consider basic sciences to be very important. I once said that basic sciences, compared to the applied sciences we have, are like a bank reserve against the money you put in your pocket. You have a certain amount of bank reserves that are the backing of your work, the source of your hopes, the origin of your incomes. Of course, you also put some money in your pocket and spend it. We do not want to be disrespectful; the reality is this. These applied sciences that exist today are all the money we are spending. A nation must have engineering, urban planning, industries, medicine, health, and treatment; these are the money we are spending daily; but the essence and root of these sciences are basic sciences.

This year during Ramadan, I also spoke about human sciences with these students and youth; I had previous discussions, and God willing, later we will have a special session on human sciences with these thinkers and cultural figures and you good youth. Human sciences are the soul of knowledge. Truly, all knowledge, all superior movements in a society, are like a body whose soul is human sciences. Human sciences give direction, determine where we are going, and what our knowledge is pursuing. When human sciences deviate and are based on wrong foundations and erroneous worldviews, the result is that all movements of society go towards a deviant inclination. Today, the knowledge that the West possesses is no joke; it is not a small matter. Western knowledge is an unprecedented historical phenomenon; however, this knowledge has been used for colonialism over the years, for slavery and oppression, for the exploitation of the wealth of nations; today, you see what they are doing. This is due to the same erroneous thought, wrong outlook, wrong vision, and wrong orientation that this knowledge, with its greatness - which knowledge itself is a noble thing, a precious and honorable phenomenon - is utilized in these directions. Of course, regarding human sciences, good points were made by one of the friends here.

I have noted a few points here to share with you. One issue is that the country needs scientists who are in love with their country, in love with their people, and in love with their identity and the fate of their nation. Without this sense of attachment, work does not progress. The scientist who sees knowledge as a tool for making money cannot significantly help the fate of his country. I tell you; over time - of course, it has always been like this, but today it is more so - the world has been a battleground, a place of conflict, a field of opposition and struggle among humans due to the nature of humans; anyone who feels strong will grapple with the weak; there is no mercy. Unless the reins and control of religion and religious belief exist. The commanders of the early Islam, when they entered countries, even though those conquered nations had treated them with utmost severity, they entered with ethics and behaved in a religious manner. Even until the time of the Crusades - several centuries after the beginning of Islam - this meaning existed. When Christians who came from Europe entered Jerusalem, they massacred Muslims - you know the Crusades lasted nearly two hundred years, with continuous back and forth - when Muslims prevailed, on the contrary; they treated them with kindness. In the early Islam, in this region of Sham, which belonged to the Eastern Roman Empire, there was a Jewish minority; when Muslims came, they swore - their exact words are recorded in history - they said, "By the Torah, you are the best people who have ever ruled over us here." The reality was the same. This is due to the reins of religion. Without religion, a dominant nation crushes the subdued nation; it destroys its religion, its culture, its ethics, its dignity, and its pride, erasing its honors. I do not want to name some of the dominant governments. Of course, America and the West commit oppression and crimes, but it is not exclusive to them; some other countries are like that; in some places, they gained dominance and committed such savagery that after many years, reading about those events and the severity of the cruelty they exhibited makes the hair stand on end.

Well, a nation now wants to preserve its power; to prevent being attacked; whether by overt and material military and security assaults, or by soft warfare, moral assaults, cultural assaults, and cultural humiliation - which has become common in recent decades - what should it do? Both its politicians and its scientists must show self-sacrifice. I do not mean that now you, who are elites, are young, should go and sacrifice yourselves, having no material expectations; no, we do not have such expectations. But without spiritual attachments, a group of elites - whether political elites or scientific elites - cannot preserve their country; they cannot empower it.

The same goes for politicians. If a politician is only thinking of himself, of his own comfort, of his own pocket, of his own desires, and does not want to address the fundamental and primary concerns that naturally affect his own comfort, this country will fail; the sign of it is the failure of successive dynasties. The Safavids were a powerful government; they came to power with authority and faith; then due to these weaknesses, due to the dominance of these characteristics, their work reached the point you know. The Qajars were worse than them, and the Pahlavis were the worst of all.

In the field of science, it is the same. If there exists a scientist who cares about the fate of the country, ready to sacrifice in this path - sacrifice according to his own measure - in a country, that country will grow. What can create this force, bring about this progress, better than anything else, is faith. If there is faith, the country will progress. The scientific advancements that exist today in our country - which of course we are certainly not satisfied with - have a value and intrinsic worth far greater than conventional scientific advancements in the world. Why? Because we were deprived of scientific exchange, of scientific utilization, of scientific assistance from others. We were under pressure, the doors were closed to us; yet, prominent personalities emerged, a "Martyr Shahriari" emerged - and of course, there were dozens like him among us, and thanks be to God, there are - dozens and hundreds emerged in various fields who did remarkable work; they did not utilize any Western universities or research centers or Western professors. Of course, they must have utilized Western achievements; we must do so.

One of the friends made a correct statement; he said that alienation and hostility towards foreigners will not get us anywhere. Yes, that is true; however, we must keep in mind; when we sometimes say hostility towards foreigners or alienation, it does not mean that we should deprive ourselves of their knowledge and achievements; absolutely not. I have said many times: we are fully ready to be students to learn; however, we should not always remain students; that is the point. Our nation can reach a point where others come to be its students. I have that peak in mind; we must move towards it. Therefore, for the scientific community, sincere and devoted effort is necessary to be able to work. Thanks be to God, you have this capacity, you have this talent; thank God. You can restore the dignity of this nation.

My dear ones! For more than decades, the dignity of our nation, the pride of our nation, the honor of our nation has been trampled. The revolution brought us to ourselves and made us aware of ourselves. Our country, with this historical background, with this scientific history, with these immense scientific and intellectual resources we have, with those great scientific figures that our country raised during the ignorance and negligence of the world - "Avicenna," "Muhammad ibn Zakariya," "Farabi," "Khwaja Nasir," and so on, these belong to the era of humanity's ignorance; they belong to the Middle Ages when there was no knowledge, no light of knowledge in the world - this country, which has such capacity and such talent, has reached a point where it must look to others for its basic needs. Our politicians - the incompetent backward ones - said that an Iranian cannot even make a faucet! The faucet of those clay washbasins. Shame on that politician who speaks of his nation like this. Or another one said that we must become Western from head to toe to be able to progress! Well, this is incompetence; this is backwardness that some, due to their own weaknesses, impose these weaknesses on the nation; the nation is humiliated. The revolution eliminated these; we came to ourselves. Fortunately, good works have been done, good capacities have been revealed; we have progressed, and God willing, we will continue to progress.

I want to say this to the government officials that investing in the production of knowledge and scientific innovation has had a double benefit for our country and our nation; do not abandon this path. Investment in the production of knowledge and for scientific innovations and for scientific progress must increase day by day; it should not decrease. Of course, today even to the extent that, for example, England or Italy or France invested at the beginning of their entry into the world of industry and science, we do not invest that much; our investment is less. As much as possible, scientific investment must increase.

Of course, these investments must be accompanied by improved management; I particularly emphasize this to the esteemed government officials. If we increase financial resources, distribute them, overflow them, and spread them, but there is no improvement in management in this sector, financial resources will be wasted. In universities, in the scientific community of the country, in this section of the scientific deputy of the President, management improvement is necessary. These government centers that relate to science and universities must certainly improve their management and, of course, invest.

Another point is the issue of the relationship between industry and university, which is an old issue. Of course, fifteen or sixteen years ago - now it is good not to mention its history - this issue was raised and pursued and finally became a prevalent thought that everyone is inclined towards. Well, how do we realize this work? If our industries want to keep up with market competition, they need scientific progress and innovation. This innovation is fully available in our universities, our research centers, our research institutes. These research institutes that have been recommended several times to be established alongside universities and affiliated with universities can provide a part for industries to participate in these research institutes and address their needs from them. This work can be coordinated in this governmental sector. They must sit down to plan for this work; it is good for both industry and university. When the university is attentive to the needs of society and the market and the job market, it naturally finds its direction; it also gains more enthusiasm and vitality; of course, it is also revenue-generating for universities. Industry, too, when it relies on new ideas and knowledge production and technology - which is realized in universities - will naturally progress. We need this; this must certainly be done.

Right here, I want to mention the produced products of the country - which one of the friends here referred to, and I had noted down to say - I want to mention a point. Fortunately, we have quality products in various sectors in the country. A significant portion of the country's productions is consumed by our government agencies. Government agencies must be determined and resolute that except for domestic productions - in those cases where domestic production exists - nothing else should be consumed. That is, in products that have domestic counterparts, they should be absolutely prohibited from importing anything from abroad. This should be raised in the government, and the President should instruct government agencies; and this is possible. We have experienced this. In some cases, it was decisively told to an agency that the work being done must not use any non-Iranian products; and it was done, and it was done in the best way. If our managers are determined to use Iranian products, Iranian production, both the quality of the products will be high, and this work will also lead to an increase in the quality of domestic productions. This work must certainly be done.

Of course, I have heard that the support of government agencies and banks for domestic productions is also weak; in some cases, producers are driven to bankruptcy due to lack of support. This issue must also be addressed within the government; that is, it should be instructed.

Yes, one point was mentioned, which I also noted down here; that sometimes in transactions that the government agency has with domestic producers, there is bad accounting; while when this transaction is made with a foreign industrialist, they pay the money in cash; but they drag this out - one year, two years - they do not pay their dues. This must be stopped.

One issue is also the issue of scientific articles. Fortunately, articles have made very good progress in terms of quantity and, in some cases, quality; however, there is an important point that I have raised several times now, and fortunately, I have seen today that this point is repeated in the words of some friends, and that is that producing articles is not the goal. First, the quality of the article is important. More importantly, the direction of the article is; for what purpose are we writing this article? This increase in the number of articles must show itself in our job market, in our production, and in our real life. The article must be written according to the needs of the country; this is very important. Therefore, both the quality of the articles is important, and the article must be prepared to address a need in the country. If this happens, now suppose someone wrote an article and sold it to another. He said, "You take it; however you want, take it." Now we should not say that way. If the article is beneficial to the country, beneficial to a direction, in any form, it is good; but merely writing an article is not the goal. The growth in the number of articles is not the goal; it must show itself in industries and in the market.

The issue of agriculture that was raised is a very important issue, and it is true; agriculture is one of the sectors that receives special government support worldwide. This sector must certainly be given attention.

In any case, today’s meeting was a very good meeting. I will, God willing, take these writings from friends and study and follow up. We hope that the Almighty God grants you success and helps you, and that the future of the country, with the hands of you dear youth, God willing, comes closer to the lofty goals of this revolution.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.