Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei has outlined a comprehensive roadmap for an “ever-stronger Iran,” calling on the elite community to break scientific boundaries and shift the global center of knowledge toward Iran.
In a message issued on Monday, coinciding with the martyrdom anniversary of Lady Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her), the Leader addressed Iran’s scientific and sports medalists.
Ayatollah Khamenei congratulated the Iranian people on the recent successes in various scientific Olympiads—including astronomy, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, artificial intelligence, and humanities—as well as their triumphs in international sports arenas.
“The motivation and hope of our elites to bring about changes in the country is a bright flame I have witnessed, both from near and afar, over the course of many years and decades.”
The Leader specifically praised the hardworking athletes for showcasing to the world Iran’s vitality and strength, highlighting the role of female athletes who “make the honorable symbol of the Iranian women’s attire shine before the world.”
‘Engine of national strength’
Defining the true nature of an elite, the Leader said, “The distinguished elite aren’t people who, merely by virtue of possessing a notable amount of talent and intelligence, regard themselves as somehow set apart from others and who only think of their own fleeting, personal desires.”
“An elite is someone who is deeply concerned with developing their abilities, sees themselves as an effective member of society, and uses their talent and potential for the advancement of themselves and their society alike.”
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the tangible impact of Iranian elites in solving real-world problems. “The Iranian elites have demonstrated that knowledge and talent can be turned into tools for addressing the real problems facing the people and the country.”
“From stem cell research, nanotechnology, and biotechnology to advanced aerospace technologies and technologies in industry, mining, medicine, agriculture, nuclear energy, and infrastructure, they have consistently sought to put their knowledge, scientific expertise, and abilities to practical use.”
“We’re all seeing the tangible effects and manifestations of this progressive movement in our daily lives.”
The Leader cited electricity generated by Iranian turbines, knowledge-based desalination plants, agricultural drones, advanced technologies at the Royan Institute, as well as radiopharmaceuticals, remote-sensing satellites, and groundbreaking advancements in the defense and military sectors.
Condemning ‘neo-colonial’ plots
“A strong Iran depends on scientific and technological power, and this core pillar is one of the most important factors for shaping Iran’s role in the emerging global equations and the new world order.”
The Leader pointed to the hostility of Iran’s enemies, noting that their crimes are a testament to the pivotal role the elites play in maintaining Iran’s power.
“The same enemy that has assassinated our society’s prominent scientists and the influential elite during the Second and Third Imposed Wars – and of course, in academic settings and in their everyday lives years prior to that – cannot bear to see Iran advance and grow stronger.”
Warning about the West’s psychological and cultural warfare, the Leader said, “It uses every means and method at its disposal to weaken the elite of our dear Iran. This includes spreading hopelessness and discouragement among the elite, taking hold of their minds and spirits, drawing people into the jaws of neo-colonialism, and turning them into mere cogs in the West’s machinery for plunder and capitalism.”
However, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized, the enemies are oblivious to the fact that “every drop of blood shed from the bodies of this nation’s martyred elite, scientists, professors, university students, and schoolchildren has unleashed, and continues to unleash, a storm of determination and progress.”
A strategy for scientific supremacy
Reflecting on Iran’s ancient civilization and contrasting it with the two centuries of stagnation during the Qajar and Pahlavi eras, the Leader highlighted the rapid scientific growth of the past three decades, noting that a significant portion of it is “indebted to the distinct measures and guidance of our illustrious martyred Leader, may God sanctify his pure soul.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said the recently imposed wars have shown that the new scientific surge must now be “both profound and accelerated.”
To achieve this objective, the Leader outlined a comprehensive strategy for officials and the academic community.
He said there must be a serious, practical, and well-defined plan for advancing the basic sciences and the humanities, noting that disciplines such as physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics serve as the primary driving force behind the scientific and technological progress of a nation.
Alongside this foundational development, he directed sustained attention toward undiscovered realities and the relentless pursuit of solving unsolved problems within such fields as mathematics.
The Leader said the cornerstone of any true scientific advancement lies in creativity and innovation.
He called for an environment that encourages positive imagination and scientific courage, supported by meaningful incentives for those who offer practical, creative solutions.
Equally important, the Leader noted, is the need for self-reliance in overcoming scientific challenges and technological bottlenecks, which builds the internal strength necessary for transnational engagement and global influence.
To ensure these scientific achievements translate into tangible national progress, he highlighted the importance of bridging the gap between academia and industry.
By fostering cooperation from the earliest years of a student’s education and facilitating knowledge-based enterprises, Ayatollah Khamenei said the practical work of professors and students must transition from university laboratories directly into workshops and factories to address the most pressing challenges of the country.
Furthermore, the Leader said the elites must play a direct and effective role in planning and policymaking, urging officials to “make full use of the individual capacities, rational thinking, and collective wisdom of the committed elite.”
A vision for the future
Concluding his message, the Leader painted a vision of the future.
“If this path is properly pursued, the center of gravity and the primary hubs of knowledge – particularly in some of the basic sciences – will gradually shift from Western countries to Iran.”
In the not-too-distant future, the Leader stated, the Islamic Republic of Iran will emerge as a leading authority in science and technology, fulfilling “the aforementioned objective of our wise, martyred Leader (may God elevate his noble station), of establishing the Persian language as one of the primary scientific languages in the world.”
The Leader prayed that, by the blessing of the blood of the martyrs and the prayers of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his noble reappearance), this profound scientific surge will pave the way toward the realization of a new Islamic-Iranian civilization.
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