Statements in Meeting with Scientific Elites and Top Talents

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad and his pure family, especially the Awaited One on earth.

Peace be upon Hussein, and upon Ali ibn Hussein, and upon the children of Hussein, and upon the companions of Hussein who sacrificed their lives for Hussein (peace be upon him).

Welcome, my dear ones, our youth and the hopes of the future of the country. I am glad that this year, God Almighty has granted us the opportunity to hold this session and to be with you and hear from you. The points that [the friends] mentioned were very good; my assessment of these speeches is that there were significant points in their statements, which I may not agree with some parts of, but the fact that our youth sit down to think about an important subject to them, produce words and content about it, and then express this content with very good eloquence is very enjoyable for me; truly, when one looks at these youths with these qualities, [one feels joy]. Know this: if it were possible for all of you - this assembly that you are - to speak one by one and I could listen, I would do so, but unfortunately, it is not practical. The speeches were very good.

Well, friends mentioned several points that need to be followed up; I recommend to our office, to the friends who are responsible in the office, to follow these up. Our follow-up is not in the form of orders that I give to the agencies; the agencies have responsibilities, missions, and must carry out their work; giving orders is not our job, but I recommend, guide, emphasize, and follow up so that, God willing, these tasks are accomplished. One or two points were related to the Ministry of Health; God willing, they should follow up; one point was related to the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, and the esteemed Secretary of the Supreme Council (2) is present here, and they must certainly follow up on signing those resolutions; one point was about signing the resolutions of the Supreme Council of Education, and the esteemed Minister (3) is here, they must certainly follow up; one issue was the hepatitis vaccine that this dear youth mentioned, they must certainly follow up on this, and we will also, God willing, pursue other follow-ups to ensure they are accomplished.

My dear ones! What is important is that this scientific progress that has started in the country for about two decades must continue. We are among the top ranks in some emerging scientific fields in the world; [that is] ranks below ten, fifth, sixth. Well, these are very honorable, but they do not satisfy us in any way. Now, in nanotechnology, in biotechnology, in some other areas, we are ahead [but] this is not enough; the scientific movement in the world is a rapid movement, and we have many accumulated backlogs from the past, so this acceleration in scientific progress must continue. Of course, good work has been done until now; in these sixteen, seventeen years that we have been pursuing and engaged in these areas, one observes that both science has progressed, and the technologies arising from science have advanced, and the cycle that I have mentioned several times in meetings (4) - [that is] the cycle of wealth production that includes commercialization - has progressed. Yesterday, we had an exhibition here (5), I spent two hours looking at the works that have been done. I saw enthusiasm and self-confidence and self-belief, both in the words of [the officials] of these knowledge-based companies that were present here yesterday, and in their actions, and in the work they had accomplished; this is a very blessed thing. They have enthusiasm, they have self-confidence; they believe they can, they believe they will progress, and they have motivation for advancement. Of course, these were thirty companies out of several thousand knowledge-based companies that exist; now they give us statistics that there are about four thousand and some knowledge-based companies [existing]; this is low. These four thousand [companies] in the country over a limited and specified period must reach at least four hundred thousand [companies] or more. Of course, it has conditions, characteristics that I will refer to some of them.

First, the legal infrastructure for these knowledge-based companies must be provided; now many of their legal infrastructures are not specified, which was also implied in some of the friends' speeches. This work is the responsibility of the government and the parliament and the relevant officials; they must sit down and specify and, to use the expression of the brother who spoke here, for example, differentiate between profit-oriented companies and duty-oriented companies, specify what work is to be done and its limits must be defined.

[Secondly] they must remove the obstacles that some of the obstacles were mentioned. Incidentally, the same issue of "six months" that one of these friends mentioned was told to me here yesterday; one of these knowledge-based companies said that we have produced this product - which was a very prominent product - in eight months, which is a very short time for [producing] this product; it took six months to obtain the permit! That is, a permit that should be issued in a week takes six months; these must be removed. These are the business obstacles they face, the reform of the business environment that I have repeatedly emphasized, meaning that the obstacles to work must be removed, and incorrect parallel work must not be done. Of course, monopolies must also be removed, which was also mentioned in the friends' speeches.

Well, I have noted a few points that I want to share with you: one is that we have a strategic document on elite affairs that is a resolution of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, a very good and important document; this document must be realized seriously, meaning that this document must be acted upon. Until now, part of this important document has been acted upon [but] not all of it has been implemented. If this document is fully implemented, many of the problems mentioned regarding scientific progress, regarding the commercialization of scientific and technological products, and other problems will be resolved. Both the Elite Foundation must address this document, and I say here that the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution must demand it; the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution is a prominent council; that is, the heads of the three branches are present in this council, several ministers and effective personalities are in this council; they must demand, they must want this document to be realized. In our opinion, many of these problems arise from the non-implementation of this document. Of course, several years have passed since this document; it must be updated; today, considering the new businesses that have emerged and the scientific advancements that have occurred in the world and have also largely been realized in our country, this document certainly needs an update; it must be renewed and refreshed.

The second point; unfortunately, there is a current in the country that deals with the phenomenon of the scientific movement with malice; this current exists. The reason I am telling you this is that you, who are the elements constituting this scientific movement, should be aware that there is a malicious, ill-willed current against you; do not become despondent; that is my message. One of the actions of that current, which I refer to as malicious or ill-willed towards the scientific movement, is that it denies the very existence of the scientific movement, as if such a thing does not exist. In a meeting a few months ago, I mentioned the issue of Stanford University here, saying (6) that they insist on saying: "No, nothing has happened"; while you are witnessing the event before your eyes, you are in the midst of a scientific movement and scientific progress; they deny it, saying such a thing does not exist. The fact that you say a bridge should be created between the university and the people - which one of the friends mentioned here - now we are constantly insisting that "scientific work, scientific progress, scientific leap has begun" - which is indeed the reality - a group says: "No, nothing has happened"; unfortunately, that group also follows this malicious movement from within the university, and the people become doubtful. Therefore, one of their actions is denial.

Then, one of their malicious actions is the relocation of the country's elites, which is also taking place. They discourage the elite from staying inside, saying, "Why do you stay? You are wasting your time, wasting your life," while they belong here, they are a part of this place, they grow with the growth of the country; with their growth, the country grows; they fulfill their duty; they are discouraged from staying here and are then relocated to some external appearance - whether monetary or non-monetary or even illusory - to move them from this university to another place; this is also one of the actions that is currently taking place. It is the duty of the Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Health to monitor the universities, to cleanse them. They discourage the youth, and when they are protested, they say: "The news that reaches so-and-so and the high-ranking officials of the country is one-sided, only the positive aspects are told to them, the negative aspects are not mentioned"; what are the negative aspects? For example, suppose scientific thefts or the poor quality of many articles. Yes, they say; it is not necessary, we know ourselves; many of these various harms I have mentioned in speeches with students and with scientific and university groups. The issue of quality shortage, the issue of scientific theft, the issue of non-beneficial science, these are problems that we ourselves have known earlier than they have, we know more than they do, but when one looks at the positive aspects, they are far more prevalent (7) than these negative aspects. Yes, these negative aspects exist, we have problems, now our own youth have come and mentioned some of these problems. Such remarks reach the officials; it is not that they do not reach them, but the reality of the matter, the reality of the situation, the main current of the country, is a positive and desirable current and a good current.

Where are we in science today, where were we twenty years ago? There has been a significant difference. Of course, I also have statistics; perhaps if I get the chance, I will mention some. This is one of the arts of the revolution; the revolution in the country created this art that gave courage to the men and women of the country, to the young and old of the country to enter difficult territories. This courage exists today; our youth boldly enter a difficult and complex scientific field, accomplish important tasks, and even others - including enemies - praise these important tasks. I remember a few years ago - of course, there have been recent instances that I do not want to mention - a writer, a Zionist scholar wrote about a missile that we had tested at that time, in a Zionist publication, something that was brought to me; he wrote that I am an enemy of Iran, but I bow my head in respect to the man who made this missile; these achievements were made despite sanctions, despite all these problems, the closure of scientific exchanges, despite all of this, they created such a masterpiece; this is the judgment of our enemies who deny the obvious.

What I have noted here [is that] more than two hundred Iranian researchers and scholars are among the top one percent of scientists in the world; these are honorable. Of course, the background, talent, capacity is several times more than this [what has been achieved] until today. Certainly, in five years, it will be much more than this, in ten years it will be several times more than this. Look! This is an important statistic: the growth of highly cited articles by Iranian scientists - not just any article - articles that are highly cited in the world, in 2010, there were 78 articles, in 2018 it reached 461 articles; [that is] several times over a few years. These are important things that are denied. We have about one percent of the world's population, we also have one percent of the inhabited geography of the world (8), but our scientific production is close to two percent of the world, meaning we have scientific production twice what is expected from the country. Ultimately, the capacity of knowledge has been used until today for the advancement of the country; now I have noted a few cases here that are just examples, of course, there are many more: enhancing the defensive power of the country that has been utilized from science; advanced medicine and treatment that today our medicine is completely distinguished in the region; controlling diseases; in technical and engineering matters, [that is] in constructions and major engineering works that are being carried out in the country today; in biotechnology; in producing durable products with nanotechnology; in peaceful nuclear technology and many other cases. Today we have been able to utilize science in the service of the country's interests and advancements in the areas I mentioned and perhaps several dozen other areas; all of these are the blessings of the Islamic Republic.

This is also a point I wanted to mention that this ill-willed current, and I do not know for what reason, opposes this scientific movement - which of course one can guess, but we cannot claim certainty - they deny like this, they destroy, so they can create obstacles, create problems. Some time ago, I was informed that some important scientific works that begin in a sensitive decision-making center are being halted under various pretexts; these must be removed. Of course, the responsibility lies with the esteemed heads concerned who are present here today; and I say this to you so that you continue your movement with enthusiasm, doubly, powerfully against this deviant movement.

The next point; the Elite Foundation and all elite institutions deal with various sciences, I insist, I emphasize that they should also address the humanities; they should address economics, they should address law, they should address management; we need the presence of elites in these areas. Yesterday, when I was visiting the exhibition here, they had built a device, the maker of the device said: "This device only exists in America, and no other place in the world has this device, we made this ourselves"; well, these are important; this elite youth who can perform outstanding work in technical and engineering fields - the works we saw and know and some people do not know the very important works that have been done - can also think about social issues of the country, about economic issues of the country [as well], and provide solutions.

Some of the country's issues in economic fields stem from the lack of scientific research; our youth must enter these fields. Today, for example, consider issues in economics, the issue of inflation, the issue of the decrease in national currency value, the issue of employment, the issue of housing, in social issues, the issue of marriage, social harms, addiction, etc., all of these issues are issues that can find very good solutions with the knowledge of our elites, with the elite movement of our youth. If this work is done, then the scientific body of the country will have a proper development, it will achieve a balance; that is, scientific work cannot progress extraordinarily in one area while being weak and frail in another; no, it will achieve a balance just as this meaning has been observed in the scientific map of the country. I again emphasize the issue of the scientific map of the country, which is a very important work and a very valuable document that has been done and must be pursued.

My dear ones! Another point is that science, if separated from correct culture, will go astray. A very complex and beneficial science is nuclear science; because it was not accompanied by correct culture, the culture of humanism, but rather with the wrong culture of power-seeking, it led to the nuclear bomb and today the nuclear bomb remains a threat to the world, a threat to humanity; just as one day this threat was realized, today the whole world fears it, is insecure. We firmly and courageously, although we could have taken steps in this direction, according to Islamic law, said we will not enter this path; both its construction is wrong, and its maintenance is wrong, because its use is forbidden. A person produces a product that they cannot use, it must remain there; that is, it is certainly forbidden; if we had had a nuclear weapon at some point, it would have been clear that it would never have been possible to use it anywhere, because according to Islamic principles, it is certainly forbidden; well, something that is forbidden, why should one spend to build it? Why should one spend to maintain it? Because maintaining it also costs a lot; those who have it spend a lot just to maintain it. Well, see! This science without culture was what led the very useful and sensitive nuclear industry, which is a very beneficial industry for humanity, down the wrong path, in the wrong direction, from which the nuclear bomb emerged. Science is such that if it is not accompanied by correct culture, with correct thinking, it will become dangerous. For this reason, we believe that in elite institutions, religion and nationality - that is, serious religious commitment and serious national dignity - must be pursued seriously. An Iranian scientist, when intertwined with Islamic and Iranian culture, then becomes a vital part of the nation's life; in fact, they give spirit to the nation, empower it.

We do not want our university to be a repetition and reproduction of a certain American university; we do not want this. We want science, we learn too - I mean, we are not ashamed of learning - but we do not want our university to be a repetition and reproduction of a certain American university in Tehran or in some other city of the country; we do not want that culture to be imitated here. The scientific space of the country must be an Iranian and Islamic scientific space. Fortunately, it is like that now; the advanced scientific collections that one observes - like those that are now in the spotlight: stem cells, nanotechnology, biotechnology, nuclear, etc. - are mostly [these] collections have religious motivations. Because religion considers scientific movement as jihad; they are actually doing a jihad work; this must prevail over the scientific environment of the country's universities. Our conditions are different from those of the country that also has an advanced and prominent university. We must live with our own culture, think with an Iranian mindset; and the Islamic-Iranian model of progress must certainly be observed in scientific matters as well, which I believe is very important. I also want to mention that in imitating the culture of the top universities in the world - American universities, Canadian universities, and others - if we want to repeat them, scientific renaissance will also be lost; keep this in mind. This scientific innovation and scientific progress and scientific initiative will also be lost by following the path of this and that.

The next point; one of the important things that the elite community can do is to play a role in public diplomacy. One of the friends also mentioned this here in their speech, which I noted: public diplomacy. That is, you can play a role in these areas. [For example] gathering the elites of the great Iranian culture; that is, the vast realm of Iranian culture in past centuries that has now changed somewhat. In this cultural collection, which includes some of our neighboring countries, we can gather the elites. [Or for example] gathering the elites of the West Asian region; there are many elites in other countries here as well. [Or for example] gathering the elites of the Islamic world; gathering the elites of the resistance axis. Today, there is a phenomenon in our region and North Africa known as the resistance axis, they have elites; gathering these, establishing connections with them; [or] even gathering the elites of truth-seekers in every country; in Europe, in America itself, in other places, there are those who seek truth, who seek the right word and the word of truth, if you can interact with them and reach an understanding and establish a connection, they will accept your words, you can transfer pure and honorable knowledge, correct thought through this connection and the institutions that are formed with this connection.

By the blessing of Islam, we have proposed a third way to the world; neither the socialist way in economics and its consequences, nor the way of Western liberal democracy with its consequences and characteristics; we have a third way, the way that our country is currently following is a third way. Of course, we have been somewhat slow in various aspects of this way, we have been negligent, but forty years is not a long time for a system to move and reach a civilization. The Western countries that today have a well-established civilization have struggled for four centuries, five centuries with problems; forty years is not a long time. We have shortcomings in these areas, but we can properly introduce this third way, properly conduct ourselves, properly move, and with our actions, with our logical words, attract hearts towards this direction, towards this important and great movement that can be beneficial for humanity and save countries from the influence of Western culture, which is becoming more and more degenerate day by day.

Western culture chose a wrong path from the beginning; but it was not always like this from the beginning. Many of the corruptions and calamities that exist today in Western culture did not exist fifty years ago, perhaps even a hundred years ago in Western countries; gradually, they have constantly added these, introduced them. These things that truly make one ashamed to speak about, the promotion of vice and the neglect of virtue, today exists in Western countries. [Of course] this is not our claim that we oppose them; many of their own scholars, many of their own reformers, their thinkers say and write these things; but a powerful current of capitalism and power-seeking, mixed with Zionist, colonial, and arrogant forces is advancing this current in America and consequently in Europe and in countries that are subject to them. If we can act correctly, we can save many societies from the influence of this culture, from the infiltration of this culture, from the dominance of this culture.

The next point is creating hope. I seriously insist on this; both to you, and to the professors, and to the pioneers of the scientific movement, do not let the hope that has arisen for scientific progress in the country, God forbid, be disrupted. It should not be that we present the problems in a one-sided and unilateral manner, not seeing the great successes. Well, yes, there are problems in the country; some think we do not know the problems; no, we know the problems much more than many do; there are problems, but alongside these problems, there are great successes. When we present the problems unilaterally, sometimes focusing on a specific problem that is not even that important, we keep emphasizing it, we keep repeating it, we keep saying it, we keep mourning, hope diminishes in the hearts of the youth, hope becomes dim in the hearts of the youth; this is wrong. Today, thanks be to God, the country is continuing an important movement. Before the victory of the revolution, we were a stagnant, solid, and passive country; backward countries advanced ahead of us, the corrupt and dependent ruling apparatus to America kept the country stagnant. Well, this talent that you see today in the country did not emerge today; this Iranian talent is a natural thing; why was there not this much scientific production before the revolution? Why was there not this much scientific movement before the revolution? Now I have been given a statistic, I did not note it down to say, it is astonishing; the scientific production in the universities of the country - like Tehran University, Sharif University, Shiraz University - has been specified, how much of it was before the revolution, how much of it was after the revolution; it is astonishing. The revolution and the great revolutionary movement of the country and the dominance of revolutionary and Islamic thought moved the country forward; it has brought it to this point, and God willing, it will bring it to its peak, we will have leaps; we are still at the beginning of the path. The youth must move with this hope; it makes a difference. Scientific work is not easy, of course, for someone who seeks knowledge, it is exciting, but it is a hard and difficult task; advancing tasks is hard; this hard work, if accompanied by hope, will progress.

Of course, one of the important sources of hope is reliance on God Almighty; the end is for the pious; (9) when you are pious, pure, and observe the divine commands and prohibitions, God is with you. When God is with a person, it means victory is with that person, success is with that person, happiness is with that person, spiritual joy is with that person. I strongly recommend you young people - who, thank God, you are pure, you are virtuous, you have not yet fallen into the problems like us - to take advantage of this purity, this clarity, this brightness as much as you can; always keep God Almighty with you in your heart, in your mind, in your actions. God willing, you will progress.

A few years ago, I said that our progress should be such that in fifty years - which from that fifty years, now five or six years have passed - if someone wants to access the latest scientific developments in the world, they must learn Persian; (10) we must reach this point; just as today if you want to access the latest scientific developments, for example, you must know English; in some fields like law and such, for example, you must know French; we must bring the work to this point, meaning you must advance so much that approximately by the time I mentioned, at that point, anyone in the world who wants to access the latest scientific developments in various fields must learn Persian to be able to use your writings. Of course, you young people today will be the officials and established figures of the country then, but you must prepare the ground in such a way that the youth twenty years from now and the youth twenty-five years from now, who are today your children - of course, those who have children and have married - God willing, can do the best work. I hope, God willing, that God Almighty grants you all success.

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