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

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الحمدلله ربّ العالمين

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و صلّي الله علي محمّد و آله الطّاهرين

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You are very welcome dear brethren and sisters.

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This is a meeting with [specialists in various fields of] science and scientist(s) and academics,

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and for me, this is one of the best and most pleasant meetings.

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I also carefully listened to the remarks of two esteemed ministers and heard them and took advantage of them.

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I hope God would help you and I to succeed in making this kind of sessions

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and meetings and sayings and listening beneficial for the country

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[so that] it would not be merely sitting [together] and meeting [with each other] and saying [something].

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I have talked a lot about the importance of science and the importance of university;

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both I have said and others have also said; fortunately, for many years, they have talked about the importance of science

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and, subsequently, the importance of university.

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And as Dr. [Seyyed Hassan Qazizadeh] Hashemi (Iranian minister of health and medical education) pointed out right now,

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it was my aspiration that the importance of science and the necessity of paying attention to science in the country

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would turn into a discourse and now, this [aspiration] has almost come true; [therefore,] we must thank God.

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Science is the most important tool for progress and [boosting] the national power;

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[and] this [point] must be taken for granted, [because] it is really like this.

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For any nation, science is the most important means of [gaining] prestige and [making] progress and [acquiring more] power.

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The university is also the most important [center for] training future managers of the country.

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Well, what could be more important than this? You are training future managers of the country.

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If you trained them well – which God willing is the case – then, the future of the country would be managed in a good way;

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If we failed to manage [our universities] properly, [and] failed in this regard,

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naturally the future of the country would be affected by these failures;

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I mean, this is why the university is so important.

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Of course, the university in its current form is a Western phenomenon – we all know this –

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but university in the sense of a place where the genius and the elite are trained is by no means Western;

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[because] it goes back [about] a thousand years in our country.

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Yes, [the university] in its existing form has been imported from the West,

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but this country has had schools in which the likes of Avicenna,

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al-Farabi, Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi, and Kharazmi have been trained; in this very country.

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These names that I mention here, are among famous names;

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there are also thousands of not famous names among them physicians, engineers, inventors,

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literary scholars, philosophers, and mystics all of whom have been trained in this country.

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I quote a sentence from George Sarton,

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[because] it would be more believable when other people say it than when we ourselves say!

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This is why I quote [him, because] otherwise, I am not of the habit to keep quoting this or that [personality] from Europeans and Westerners.

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However, this George Sarton – who has written [a book on] the history of science, which is famous and has been translated and printed and perhaps you have all saw it –

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says, “Iranian scientists have had the biggest share and [played the greatest] role in [promotion] of this civilization

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and if we removed the works of the Iranian scholars from this collection,

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we would have removed its most beautiful part.” [He] is a historian of science.

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There is also another quote – which I bring from my memory because I saw it a long time ago

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[and] cannot remember its words with accuracy – belongs to Pierre Rousseau,

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who has also written [a book on] the history of science and this [book] has been also translated into Persian since many years ago,

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[and] is available to all. I saw this many years ago; as I told you, I wanted to refer [to the book]

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and see this again, [but] in fact, I did not have time, but I have written down its address;

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I remember that I have written its address somewhere [to know] where he has said this;

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[it is] from this book “History of Science.”

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He quotes a dialogue between a European businessman – an Italian or perhaps a French [businessman]

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– with a scientific scholar of that time; it dates back to the Middle Ages.

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He seeks consultation and says ‘I want to let my child study and become a scientist;

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which country should I send him, [and to] which university?’ That person [who gives him advice] says  ‘if

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you are satisfied with the four basic operations of mathematics that he should go and learn the four basic operations,

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you may send him to any one of these European schools, [because] it doesn’t make any difference; [so] send him [to any European school you want].

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However, if you want more than this, send him to Andalusia. At that time, Andalusia was in the hands of Muslims.

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This [is] the history of science in Islam; the first [example] was about Iran, this [second one is] about [the world of] Islam.

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That is, we have such a history [behind us], [and] have such a [scientific] heritage;

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both in the Islamic environment and in the Iranian environment.

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Of course, let me say this as well – [and] don’t attribute it to the spirit of ethnicity and nationalism –

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[that] among Islamic countries, the pinnacle of production of thought and production of science is also Iran.

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That is, in no other place we have such great personalities, for example, assume somebody like Kendi

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– who is one of a kind among philosophers – and the likes of him, are numerous in Iran;

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that is, if we talk about history of the Islamic science, again the pinnacle is related to Iran.

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This is our heritage; this is our past, [and] this is our history.

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The eras of Qajar and Pahlavi have also clear histories.

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Of course, I am sorry that our educated people and our learned ones

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are less informed about the [part of the] history, which is close to us and contemporaneous with us

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– both history of the Qajar era and history of the Pahlavi era –

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[and] their knowledge [about these historic eras] is very limited, [and] is not vast; [because] they are often not aware of details.

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From the middle of the Qajar era up to the Pahlavi era

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– which was its acme – there were specific reasons that this spiritual heritage

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was not taken good advantage of at a time that science was prospering in the world.

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Well, you know that our era, that is, this past century and the past one hundred years,

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has been a time for prosperity and growth of science in the world

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and any country which has achieved something has done it during these very 100 years, [or] 120 years.

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During this period – which our university also dates back to eighty-odd years ago in this country –

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when we imported the Western and European university into the country, we could have taken advantage of that heritage,

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of that spirit, of that talent, [and] of those grounds and capacities that existed in our country

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to make an Iranian university;  [and] to indigenize the university;

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we could have done this, but we did not;

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[and this was] due to specific reasons related to the government of Pahlavis and the government of Qajars.

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I mean, that valuable heritage was not taken advantage of when the Western science entered the country.

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Today, in our country, in our academic environment, [and] in our scientific environment,

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the spirit of making and self-reliance and self-confidence and having something to say and talking [about scientific matters]

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and producing cited articles, which would be cited by others in the world,

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[and] the likes of these are numerous in our country today; [but they] did not exist at that time.

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At that time, we could neither take advantage of the scientific ethics and scientific background that was our own heritage,

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nor could we benefit from the spiritual heritage and moral heritage of our own scientific environment.

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These [issues] have detailed explanation, which now I do not want to get involved with those explanations

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that how our scientific ethics were in the scientific environments of the past,

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[and] what happened to our scientific ethics later on when the Western method entered the country.

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During those past periods, the pupil sat on his knees in front of the teacher,

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[and] did not insult his teacher. Of course, scientific environments and the likes of them were free environments,

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[and even] now the seminaries are like this; when we are teaching,

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all students that are attending the class have the right to ask questions, [and] they ask questions,

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shout, [and] talk; there is no problem [with this], [and] nobody considers this as a problem;

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the teacher is also obligated to answer politely.

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It has been like this in the past, but at the same time, the student was humble in front of the teacher, [and] showed humility.

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This is about the past [history] of our scientific ethics and our old academic ethics;

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however, in the new period, the number of teachers, who have been beaten by their students

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– both in high schools, and in universities –

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or teachers who have been stabbed by their students, [and] at times have been killed, is not low;

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I mean, the scientific ethics has totally changed.

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Neither our scientific heritage and our scientific capacity has been transferred [to the new generation],

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nor our heritage of scientific ethics and our academic ethics has been transferred.

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The [modern] university was shaped in this way.

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Well, Western [countries] had plans for our university.

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This [issue] that I say [here] is based on information and calculation;

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this is not something for [an oration on top of a] minbar or a speech; no, this has been researched;

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those people who are expert in research, [and] in sociological and social issues

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or foreign policy issues, and the likes of these, have done full research [on this issue].

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Westerners made plans for what they called the Third World,

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in order to train people in these countries, who would be raised

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and grow according to their ethics, their methods, and their lifestyle, and undertake management of that country [in which they lived];

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this was the plan, which they made. They had also such a plan for our university;

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that is, they wanted our university to be a bridge for the flow of whatever Westerners were willing to take place in Iran;

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this was their purpose, but it did not happen;

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I mean, our university did not serve the goals of the West in practice.

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This is one of the very important issues and great points for our country.

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They wanted our university to be a place to pump [the society with] Western ideas and Western lifestyle.

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Well, they also relatively succeeded in some places, there is no doubt about this

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– [because] those people who were at the helm, especially in the period of establishment of university in the time of Reza Khan,

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they were people who believed in the West and in the Western civilization from head to toe, whose remarks you have [already] heard –

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but they did not succeed at the end [because] the Iranian identity enforced its [powerful] effect.

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The Iranian identity is a strange thing in history;

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all those who have invaded Iran, were somehow assimilated by Iran in a certain way after a while:

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their language, their customs, [and] their culture [changed]; the only thing that is an exception [to this rule] is Islam,

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because Islam came to Iran, but was not assimilated in Iran; it remained [intact] and Iranian [people] accepted Islam from the bottom of their hearts;

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otherwise, in countries [that were] attacked by Muslim Arabs, wherever they went, the language has changed;

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the language of Egypt changed, the language of Palestine changed, the language of the Levant changed; [and] Arabic became their language,

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[but] the language of Iran did not change, the Persian [language] continued to live; that is, there is some strange thing in Iran;

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this is a characteristic that belongs to our country.

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It also happened in this case [of the university and] the Iranian identity made its impression.

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Firstly, there were people inside the university, who observed the outward manifestations of religion;

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although this was strongly negated by the opposite side;

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that is, Reza Khan was by no means agreed to [observing] the outward manifestations of religion;

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[and] those [people] who founded university in Iran

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– which I don’t want to mention the names of those men now –

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they were also like that, [and were] similar to Reza Khan.

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In fact, they had infused such ideas into the mind of Reza Khan;

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they were by no means willing for anybody to say prayers at the university,

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[and did not want] anyone to mention the name of God in the university, but this [actually] did happen;

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as they said [here], the Islamic associations were formed,

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Muslim [people] inside universities became professors,

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propagated religion, [and] stood against non-religious ideas; I mean, it [all] started form here.

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As time went by, this religious and faith-oriented spirit was bolstered inside the university

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until it reached the Islamic uprising in [the Iranian calendar year 13]41 (1962-63).

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At this point, the university took a big stride in the direction of becoming religious and faith-oriented,

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though communist [elements] were [also present in the university] at that time;

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at that time, communists and Marxists were very active inside the  university.

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Now, in Mashhad, where I was closely in touch, I saw [this] up-close,

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[but] in other places – in Tehran and some other places where I traveled and I was in contact with students –

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I saw the presence of the Marxist way of thinking in universities;

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and the strange point was that those who followed the Marxist way of thinking in the university,

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cooperated with the regime [of the former Shah] against the growing Islamic way of thinking inside the university!

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Their books were published, [and] were sold freely;

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while the books [written] by Muslims and Muslim youths

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– both those books who they produced themselves, which were of course few,

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and those books, which they wanted to study –

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were strongly opposed and they could acquire those books only with great difficulty.

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The Pahlavi regime throughout the Islamic uprising

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was, in fact, totally focused on the Islamic movement and opposed it,

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[but] it was tolerant toward the leftist [elements] and Marxists and the likes of them;

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well, they also responded to that lenience, [and] many of them went to the office of Farah Pahlavi and became members [of that office]!

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Many of them went to the [state-run] television and radio, became members of television and radio,

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cooperated with [the regime], [and in this way] the same radical leftist [elements] of the 1330s (1950s), cooperated with the regime in the [Iranian decade] 1340s (1960s)!

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[However,] the movement of the university toward the Islamic way of thinking became more sustained, stronger, and deeper day by day.

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[This situation continued] until we reached the [Islamic] Revolution.

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This movement was, of course, the movement of the Islamic resistance, had a [strong] root and its own way of thinking;

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the ideas of the late [Ayatollah Morteza] Motahhari were just an example of those things that were propagated in the university among students.

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Well, the Islamic Revolution, which became victorious in [the Iranian calendar year, 13]57 (1978-79), rocked the world;

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without exaggeration, it is like this;

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that is, really the victory of Islam through a revolution

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and [subsequent] formation of a government on the basis of Islam, rocked the world

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– both the West and the East -; it is evident that it would make an impression on the university and it did;

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many forces inside the university, both among professors, and among students,

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were among the most honest and the most sacrificing helpers of the revolution.

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This is part of historical records of our university,

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[and] this juncture [of history] must never be forgotten and neglected.  Well, this pertains to the past.

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During these 37 years that have passed since those days, we have gone through many ups and downs;

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many steps have been taken, the university has progressed, [and] has [even] regressed,

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[because] various currents have governed the university at any juncture of time;

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[as a result,] the university has had many ups and downs.

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This is also natural, that is, through a careful approach, it is not unexpected

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that when the government is controlled by Islam, those people who think according to Islam,

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will see different tastes and currents created among them

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and this would end in creation of various waves inside the university.

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Of course, intellectual opponents have also become active in the university, even Marxists!

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Since I read a lot of books – those books that are given to me, I sit down and read them [to the end] –

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I saw a number of books, which indicated that

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from the inside of the university, they want to revive the Marxist way of thinking once more,

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and imagine when? Following the fall of [the former] Soviet Union,

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after the collapse of Marxism and Marxist governments in the world!

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[This effort, however,] failed and the university did not welcome it.

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At any rate, the university has gone through different stages and different periods during these 37 years;

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now, today we remain faced with the university.

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What we have got to do to be able to take advantage of this university with this background,

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with this history, with this historical grounds, with this heritage,

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with this good experience and the good test that the university has passed during the revolution period,

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and with [all] problems that emerged in the university – when all these are put together

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– [what we must do] to be able to take advantage [of the university] for the establishment of the new Islamic civilization? Because, this is the [main] goal after all;

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the goal is to create an Islamic governance,

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which would be able to turn the society into the purported and ideal society of Islam;

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after all, we are pursuing this [goal]. We want our country – in the first place,

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now I do not discuss other countries as well as international and global issues –

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to become a country, which would reach those idealistic lines of Islam,

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because these idealistic lines are something desirable and sweet to any thinking human being;

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I mean, any person who thinks and studies,

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would enjoy this ideal state of the Islamic society;

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a society in which there are both science and progress, both dignity and justice,

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both the power to withstand global waves, and wealth; such a picture;

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we call this the modern Islamic civilization; we want our country to reach this point.

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What role can the university play [in this regard] and what it has got to do?

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Firstly, role playing by the university is necessary. Secondly, the question is this: what must be done?

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What we must do to reach this point?

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Of course, this is not the topic of our discussion today, because this is not a topic for a meeting and a speech;

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these [issues] need in-depth research work;

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I only intend to note that our university must work on this [topic],

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[and] you as directors of universities and officials of the country’s higher education system [must] think about this;

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make this the basis of the university’s responsibility,

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[and] make plans on this basis that the university with this background that was discussed here,

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with this profound historical root that was discussed here,

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[and] with this big test, which it has passed in the revolution,

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what role can this university play for the establishment of the modern Islamic civilization

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and such society and such Iran? You must think about this;

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that is, all steps must be based on this [issue].

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I only offer a few recommendations; of course, reports submitted by gentlemen [in this meeting],

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especially the report submitted by Dr. Farhadi [minister of science, research, and technology],

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is such that one would reach the conclusion that all those things that

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are among my aspirations and demands, have been realized in the university;

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well, [this] is very good, [because] this shows that there is good determination, however, the output must be examined [as well].

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I have gradually become an experienced man in the field of getting reports;

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the reports are not merely [limited] to what is presented to me or to a senior official in a report;

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they have marginal issues, [and] have fringes, which sometimes change the content of the report;

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[therefore] if we wanted to understand the realities correctly, we must go into the field and look;

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I mean, for example, assume [the report] that Dr. Farhadi offered in relation to [the situation] of science

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and in relation to research and development and [technology] park and religious and ideological steps [that have been taken], and the likes of them;

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[they have to] really go into the field and look

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[to] see how much of these aspirations and [the content of] these reports exist [in reality] on the ground; this is important.

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Sometimes reports are received, which make one have doubt about realization of some of these aspirations;

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this is an important point; my admonitions are mostly focused on such issues.

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These very points that he mentioned or those that Dr. Hashemi mentioned,

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these very things are necessary, and they must be realized,

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but merely saying that “we want to do” or “we have ordered [this] to be done,” or

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“it has been reported that this has been done,” is not adequate.

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If one sufficed to such report, then we would open our eyes all of a sudden and see

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that the distance between the reality and what we have wanted has increased. My admonitions are about this.

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I offer admonitions in two parts:

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one [part] is about issues related to science; [and] the other [part] is about issues related to ideological and ethical aspects [of the university],

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[which] in fact [is] about making humans and building manpower; because manpower is very important.

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Yesterday, one of the friends, who is now present in this meeting – [and] is among experienced and informed people –

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was telling me that in terms of ready manpower, we are among four [or] five top countries of the world;

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that is, countries whose population is double our country or sometimes triple our country,

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do not have this amount of educated and learned manpower that we have.

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He said [the number of educated Iranians stands at] 30 million; now, figures may be somehow more or less.

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Well, this is important; this is very important.

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How we are going to set direction for this manpower? Setting direction is important.

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If there were science, but the direction was wrong, the result would be what is observed today in the world of science,

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[and] the world of researchers and scientific progress, [and what has been observed] among them both today and yesterday.

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Well, you see, colonialism was a grave scourge, which plagued countries

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in the regions of Asia and Africa and Latin America; colonialism was a strange thing.

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What created this colonialism? [The answer is] science.

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European powers had succeeded in, a while before some given countries;

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for example getting access to firearms

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this issue caused a country like Britain – for example, a remote island –

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to be able to dominate a vast country like India.

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Go and read “Glimpses of World History” – [which is a book] written by [Jawaharlal] Nehru – to see what happened to India;

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of course, it is not only that book [which can be used as a source], [because] there are many [books] in this regard. This very [country of] Burma,

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this very country which [is] now called Myanmar; this [country] is the source of wealth.

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A British [equipped] with a gun and a waist gun

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captured tens of people to work for him and they did not dare to oppose him.

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There are huge caoutchouc trees and all kinds of precious woods,

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which these [British colonialists] plundered and took away; these [facts] are [recorded] in history books.

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As I said, unfortunately, the contemporary history has received less attention from our book-lover community;

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[but I advise you to] read and see what happened in India under colonialism, what happened in Burma,

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what happened in the region of Africa, what happened in Latin America,

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what happened in Algeria and Tunisia and the likes of these [countries] at the hands of this very apparently urbane,,

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orderly, and polite France and what colonialism did to these [countries].

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Well, what created this colonialism? [The answer is] science.

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When science has no [correct] direction, it turns into colonialism.

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They wreaked havoc on millions of human beings by the means of science.

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Science without direction, [and] science lacking ethical and spiritual logic, well, becomes this.

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We need to manage our own system,

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to manage ourselves, to guide ourselves, [and] be careful

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so that our science would not move in that direction; when science goes astray, [its output] becomes the atom bomb.

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At present, this planet Earth can be totally obliterated scores of times;

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that is, the same things that the Almighty God has said in the Quran that will happen on the Resurrection Day,

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can be realized and be brought about by the means of these very atom bombs that America and Russia and some other countries have.

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it can be realized and done

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This is a great risk to humanity, to civilization, to human beings, to matter and spirit;

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this is because of science; science sometimes becomes like this.

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Therefore, we must be watchful of our own scientific system

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and open a new path for science. What is that [path]?

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It is ethical and spiritual training in parallel to [teaching] science;

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therefore, my admonitions are, to some extent, related to scientific issues,

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[and] to some extent are related to those ethical issues as well as ethical and spiritual training of manpower.

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As for scientific issues, I have written down a few points here.

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Of course, I have mentioned these points before, [and] I have frequently talked about these points before,

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[and] perhaps they were also implied in the remarks made by [these] gentlemen [in this meeting], but I emphasize [on them],

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because I feel these [points] are needed to be talked about and be materialized.

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One [of these points] is the issue of beneficial science.

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Seek that science that is necessary and beneficial for the country;

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not only for the present state of the country, but [the science that will be beneficial] for 10 years later and 20 years later.

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We may need something 20 years later the research

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on which must begin as of today.

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If we don’t do research today, if we don’t get prepared today,

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we will have nothing when we need it [most].

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Feasibility [study] must be carried out and our current needs must be also taken into consideration.

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Being a [university] student and a school student and learning science and teaching science

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[must] be based on its benefit and the need [that exists for it].

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Now, they are reporting to me that many of these [scientific] papers that were mentioned here

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– which well, the number of [scientific] papers [written by Iranians] is high – do not benefit the country;

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that is, a research work has been done by author of the paper, but it is not beneficial to the country,

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or [even] is not beneficial to anybody,

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or is [only] beneficial to that foreign company, which has somehow ordered the paper;

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perhaps even the author of the paper does not know who has ordered the paper!

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This [paper] is only beneficial to it. This [kind of research work] has no benefit [to the country].

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Even doctoral dissertations – as they have reported to me; I don’t want to emphasis [on this]

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and say that it is certainly like this – [but] they have reported to me that in an optimistic state,

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[only] 10 percent of doctoral dissertations are beneficial to the country’s problems.

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Well, a doctoral dissertation is a saving, [and] is a treasure;

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these are really a trove and a [valuable] saving for the country.

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What [issues] should be subjects of this thesis in order to be beneficial to the country. This is the first issue.

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In our [Islamic] traditions [special] emphasis has been put on beneficial science.

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[University] professors themselves during these meetings in [the lunar] month of Ramadan

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– during which I usually have a meeting with gentlemen and ladies who are university professors every year,

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[when] they come here [and] deliver speeches –

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I remember that many of them

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have so far warned about some research works done in the country that are not beneficial;

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[and] I have also repeated this frequently.

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So, the first point is that science must both meet today’s need

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and the future need; [therefore, you have to] guess this future, [and] calculate it so see what we need.

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As for these issues of the nuclear energy, which a few years ago

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– two [or] three, three [or] four years before this – were topic of discussion, some people said

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‘we have so much oil [what do we need nuclear energy for’ and] Americans happened to say the same thing!

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Americans said Iran has so much oil, what does it want the nuclear energy for?

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I said, ‘well, [if] we don’t do anything about [acquiring] the nuclear energy now,

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when our oil [reserves] are depleted in the future, then we [will have to] beg for the nuclear energy from this and that [country].

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Well, it is like this, when they have [the nuclear energy] and we don’t have it and need it, they will put us through hell.

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Did you see what they did over this 20-percent [enriched uranium]?

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We needed 20-percent enriched uranium [as fuel] for this Tehran [Research] Reactor

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– this very small reactor that is in Tehran, which produces radio drugs,

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for this [reactor] we needed [20-percent enriched uranium] – because it was almost finished and [officials] said [our 20-percent enriched uranium stock] would be finished in a matter of a few months.

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[When we asked them for uranium] they made such a gesture, these Westerners, made such a face,

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[and] set such conditions that were really derogatory.

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I think it took place in about [the Iranian calendar years 13]89 or 90 (2010-11).

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Of course, it ended in our favor;

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that is, when our youths saw that [Western countries] were reluctant about selling 20-percent [enriched uranium to Iran] for which they were going to get paid,

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when they saw that these [Western countries] were tantalizing [Iran],

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they decided to produce the 20-percent [enriched uranium] on their own.

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[Therefore,] they took a lot of trouble, worked arduously and produced 20-percent [enriched uranium].

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The main task is [to enrich uranium up to] 20 percent;

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that is, when enriching uranium, from raw uranium to 20-percent [enriched variety], it is an uphill battle;

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[however,] from 20 percent to 99 percent, the work is easier;

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that is, any country that can produce 20 percent [enriched uranium]

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it would be easy for them to enrich  [uranium] at 50 percent, 80 percent and 90 percent level.

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this is why they were anxious about this. Well, it serves them right;

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if they had sold us [20-percent enriched uranium], we would not have tried to produce it.

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I said if this oil that we have, we didn’t have [but] they had it

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and we needed oil, they would sell us oil in bottles;

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now we are selling [oil] in barrels and in tonnes; this much a tonne, [and] that much a tonne;

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[however,] if we needed oil, they

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would have sold us this very black crude in bottles; this is how they are.

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The day when we would need nuclear energy due to lack of oil or due to a problem in [producing] oil,

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for example, if oil becomes so inexpensive

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– which now you see this; how easily it was made cheap – that its production and the cost of its production is not worthwhile,

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well, what one can do at that time? He will give up oil.

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Well, under such circumstances that we would need the nuclear energy, from where we would get it? Who would give it to us?

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This situation may come about in the next 10 years, [or] the next five years, [or] the next 15 years; [but] we must think about it as of now.

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You must keep thinking about this; I mean, you must [conduct] feasibility [tests] both for the future and for the present

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and then this would be beneficial science; a science that would be useful to meet these needs.

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This is one point that I deemed necessary to mention here.

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One point is about the issue of the pace of [scientific] progress.

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These citation centers, which have reported [Iran as] ranking the 19th or 17th  in the world [in terms of scientific progress],

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well this is correct, they are saying this, [and] we are advancing in the field of science;

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I am very proud of this, [and] when somebody denies this, it vexes me

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why they deny it – let me say here in parentheses [that]

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some people who are also academic, unfortunately, go to universities

379
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and address students, saying that ‘these scientific advances that they say are lies’!

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well, what is a lie?

381
00:44:37,620 --> 00:44:47,940
The research center of the Zionist regime expresses concern over Iran's scientific progress

382
00:44:48,140 --> 00:44:50,910
– which has been published in the world; this is not us (saying so) anymore;

383
00:44:51,570 --> 00:44:58,200
you should have trust in this, this is the Zionist regime; it is saying [that Iran is making advances in science] – at least have trust in what is says.

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00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:04,600
They go [to universities] and say, “No, these scientific advances that they say are not true;” no,

385
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scientific progress undoubtedly exists, [and] its pace is also good

386
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– however, we still lag behind despite this very progress that we make!

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00:45:17,220 --> 00:45:23,570
We ourselves must not forget this; we lag way behind!

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They have kept us back for many long years.

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Now, for example, [if you see] these new technologies in America, [it is because] they have started about 130 or 140 years ago;

390
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following the American Civil War, which took place from 1860 to 64 or 65.

391
00:45:55,600 --> 00:46:00,340
Up to that time, Americans imported [science] from Europe;

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from that time on, Americans stood on their own feet and started to [make] new technologies.

393
00:46:08,280 --> 00:46:14,940
Very well, so they are 150 years ahead of us; are 130 or 140 years ahead of us!

394
00:46:16,200 --> 00:46:24,250
And science is like that; when you take one step ahead, your pace for taking the second step doubles.

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I have brought [this] example many times; I said [assume that] you are two people walking together, one of you happens to come across a bicycle;

396
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well, naturally, he gets ahead of you and overtakes you at a distance;

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then he who has overtaken you on a bike reaches a car and you reach the bike;

398
00:46:50,650 --> 00:46:54,170
when you reach the bike, he has reached the car;

399
00:46:54,170 --> 00:46:56,820
well, the speed of the car is multiple times more than the bike.

400
00:46:57,650 --> 00:47:02,280
He continues to get ahead of you like this; [his] speed continues to increase day by day

401
00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:06,680
and this distance widens day by day. This distance exists.

402
00:47:06,680 --> 00:47:11,450
[This is why] we must attach great importance to this speed of progress.

403
00:47:12,680 --> 00:47:17,910
The issue that has bedazzled the world is the speed of our progress,

404
00:47:18,540 --> 00:47:24,170
which [made them] say that the speed of the Islamic Republic’s progress in [the field of] science

405
00:47:24,170 --> 00:47:30,940
– that is, its scientific progress – is thirteen times that of the world’s average; thirteen times! [And] it was right;

406
00:47:31,510 --> 00:47:36,480
of course, I don’t know how much it is now; this [report] dates back to three [or] four years ago.

407
00:47:37,710 --> 00:47:43,740
These [figures] have been reported by the same international centers; these are not something that we say.

408
00:47:45,140 --> 00:47:47,400
Well, we must keep up this speed.

409
00:47:47,570 --> 00:47:53,940
If scientific progress loses steam and this speed is lessened, then it is not clear what would happen;

410
00:47:54,340 --> 00:47:59,170
we [will certainly continue to] lag behind. Therefore, the speed of [scientific] progress is also important.

411
00:47:59,880 --> 00:48:05,880
Another issue is the issue of research; research is very important.

412
00:48:05,880 --> 00:48:12,170
Of course, we have research institutes, [and] it is a good thing, but universities themselves must become research-based;

413
00:48:13,910 --> 00:48:24,480
[they must] set up research institutes and research centers and the university itself [must] become research[-based].

414
00:48:24,480 --> 00:48:29,080
This is not in contravention [with research institutes] that exist outside [of universities]. External research institutes and research centers must exist,

415
00:48:29,620 --> 00:48:35,080
but universities themselves must become research-based.

416
00:48:35,600 --> 00:48:40,140
This is also a [very important] point. Another issue is the issue of the comprehensive scientific map.

417
00:48:40,370 --> 00:48:44,650
Well, the comprehensive scientific map, after many ups and downs,

418
00:48:45,110 --> 00:48:48,740
was approved and was notified and implemented.

419
00:48:48,740 --> 00:48:56,110
However, this comprehensive scientific map must be implemented in [all] important fields.

420
00:48:56,940 --> 00:49:02,340
This is among those issues that, unless you go into the field and make field observation,

421
00:49:02,540 --> 00:49:06,340
you cannot know to what extent the comprehensive scientific map has been implemented.

422
00:49:07,600 --> 00:49:10,170
What [academic] courses must be given priority?

423
00:49:11,220 --> 00:49:17,480
How many students are needed for prioritized courses

424
00:49:17,650 --> 00:49:19,820
and for those courses that are not of priority?

425
00:49:19,940 --> 00:49:22,770
All these [issues] must be addressed by the [comprehensive] scientific map.

426
00:49:24,770 --> 00:49:36,340
In what regions of the country what courses must receive attention on the basis of [local] needs?

427
00:49:36,510 --> 00:49:41,650
Well, this naturally needs a survey in the field by the Ministry of Science, [Research, and Technology];

428
00:49:42,200 --> 00:49:47,400
the Ministry of Science must conduct field survey for itself

429
00:49:47,940 --> 00:49:53,540
in order to know what the university needs in any location.

430
00:49:54,000 --> 00:49:57,170
[My] friends, when esteemed ministers offered their reports,

431
00:49:57,450 --> 00:50:03,820
they talked about making universities mission-oriented; this is a very good idea;

432
00:50:04,620 --> 00:50:09,250
I emphasize that this must be certainly done; however, this needs certain preliminary steps.

433
00:50:09,800 --> 00:50:13,570
How a university can become mission-oriented?

434
00:50:13,770 --> 00:50:17,680
in a given far or near town, or in a given provincial capital city?

435
00:50:18,140 --> 00:50:23,620
These are among issues whose details must be explained in our scientific map.

436
00:50:24,420 --> 00:50:33,880
Another issue I want to mention here is the issue of the quality of higher education.

437
00:50:34,740 --> 00:50:42,420
We have made good advances in terms of quantity, [but] there are drawbacks in terms of quality;

438
00:50:44,340 --> 00:50:47,970
[therefore,] an index must be set for quality.

439
00:50:48,820 --> 00:50:55,480
Of course, there are indices [for this issue] in the world, but these indices do not necessarily conform to our needs;

440
00:50:56,050 --> 00:50:57,800
some of their indices are God,

441
00:50:58,450 --> 00:51:04,250
[but] some of their indices do not match our needs or the realities of our country.

442
00:51:04,250 --> 00:51:11,740
Higher education officials must hold sessions and set indices for qualitative progress [of higher education] themselves.

443
00:51:12,310 --> 00:51:17,540
Another issue – which I have to explain these [points] in brief and summarily –

444
00:51:17,540 --> 00:51:20,510
is the issue of the employment of our [university] graduates.

445
00:51:21,080 --> 00:51:28,680
Well, one way to create jobs of our graduates is this issue of [establishing a strong] connection between industry and university;

446
00:51:29,480 --> 00:51:35,080
industry and university must be connected to each other, [this is] good both for the industry and for the university;

447
00:51:35,420 --> 00:51:40,000
it is [also] good both for the university and for the management of the university, and for the student;

448
00:51:41,570 --> 00:51:44,050
[however,] this has not been established in the country yet.

449
00:51:44,050 --> 00:51:48,970
I am aware of the steps that have been taken and Dr. Farhadi pointed out some of them;

450
00:51:49,200 --> 00:51:56,370
for example, with regard to defense issues, in which I am directly involved [and] know [about it],

451
00:51:56,570 --> 00:52:01,450
there is very good cooperation in the field of defense issues with different universities,

452
00:52:01,450 --> 00:52:07,620
contracts have been signed, [and] good steps are being taken; however, this is not enough.

453
00:52:08,570 --> 00:52:14,140
I have heard, though not seen, that in developed countries,

454
00:52:14,400 --> 00:52:22,220
in sessions when students defend [their theses], industrial officials take part, listen to [students’] defense;

455
00:52:22,420 --> 00:52:27,600
right in the same place that this [student] is defending [his thesis], they sign a contract with him;

456
00:52:28,170 --> 00:52:36,770
I mean, this is how they snatch a graduate student who is ready to work.

457
00:52:37,280 --> 00:52:40,140
Our industry must also pay attention to this issue.

458
00:52:40,220 --> 00:52:45,450
[Achieving] this goal needs [hard] activity; this activity needs [efforts by] ministers in the administration;

459
00:52:45,600 --> 00:52:51,000
[they must] sit down with industrial officials, with officials in charge of the private sector, [and] the state-run sector,

460
00:52:51,570 --> 00:52:58,050
[and] do something that, in a real way and in the true sense of the word,

461
00:52:59,080 --> 00:53:03,450
cooperation between the country’s university and industry [would take place] and in a comprehensive manner. This [issue] is not only [limited to] industry;

462
00:53:03,680 --> 00:53:10,450
various private and state-run managerial sectors need academic research;

463
00:53:10,650 --> 00:53:16,480
this step must be taken everywhere. This is [also] an issue.

464
00:53:16,620 --> 00:53:21,370
One [more] issue is the issue of playing a role [by academic centers] in [the implementation of] the Economy of Resistance,

465
00:53:22,110 --> 00:53:27,080
which is based on knowledge-based economy.

466
00:53:27,450 --> 00:53:34,050
Of course, I have said a lot in this regard, [our] friends have also made comments,

467
00:53:34,200 --> 00:53:40,940
other people have also talked [about this], but what must take place in practice, has not taken place yet.

468
00:53:41,340 --> 00:53:46,510
Let me say this; I have just received a report from administration officials

469
00:53:46,620 --> 00:53:52,420
on the executive plans [made] for [the implementation of] the Economy of Resistance; [I received it] just a few days [ago]!

470
00:53:53,250 --> 00:53:59,710
I mean what must actually take place in the Economy of Resistance, we are still far from it.

471
00:54:00,200 --> 00:54:03,770
Well, you [can] play a role in the university in this regard;

472
00:54:04,000 --> 00:54:10,650
that is, you [must] really go and claim your share [of the Economy of Resistance] and fulfill that share in the true sense of the word.

473
00:54:10,910 --> 00:54:14,940
These [remarks I made so far] were about the issue of science. Of course, there are many other issues,

474
00:54:14,940 --> 00:54:21,400
[and] I have frequently said that you already know these [issues], but their repetition is useful.

475
00:54:21,970 --> 00:54:25,020
The second part is the cultural work [which must be carried out] in universities.

476
00:54:25,280 --> 00:54:35,400
Some people have mistaken the culture work inside the university with [holding] concert and mixed camps;

477
00:54:36,420 --> 00:54:40,170
they think this is [the true meaning of the cultural work]; they say student must be happy!

478
00:54:44,680 --> 00:54:53,480
Being happy is a good thing for every environment, but how? At what price?

479
00:54:55,480 --> 00:55:03,540
How much the Westerners have been benefited by this mixing of girls and boys for us to expect benefits [from it]?

480
00:55:05,250 --> 00:55:12,400
Once they told us that in Europe – at that time they emphasized on Europe –

481
00:55:12,740 --> 00:55:16,940
there is no hijab and men and women are mixed together,

482
00:55:17,570 --> 00:55:22,000
[and claimed that] sexual caprice and desire is, naturally, under control there.

483
00:55:22,200 --> 00:55:24,420
Well, now you look and see if [the situation in the West] is like this.

484
00:55:26,910 --> 00:55:30,370
Have wanton desires been controlled or they have been further instigated?

485
00:55:31,110 --> 00:55:38,450
[Look at] all these sexual crimes that are taking place in America and in Europe on a daily basis;

486
00:55:40,080 --> 00:55:47,850
[they have reached a stage that] they don’t suffice to the opposite sex now! And it will become worse than this.

487
00:55:48,940 --> 00:55:54,510
Islam has known human beings that it has ordered [them to observe] hijab,

488
00:55:55,680 --> 00:55:59,170
[and] has ordered women and men not to get mixed [with each other].

489
00:56:00,250 --> 00:56:05,510
Islam has known I and you; [human beings] belong to God and [He] is our Creator.

490
00:56:07,140 --> 00:56:14,140
What is the meaning of mixed-gender camp? Mixed mountaineering, mixed camping, even sometimes outside the country!

491
00:56:15,020 --> 00:56:21,110
No, the cultural work has a different nature, [and] has a different meaning.

492
00:56:22,000 --> 00:56:25,910
Cultural officials of universities must know better what to do.

493
00:56:26,910 --> 00:56:36,110
The cultural work in universities must be such that it would train individuals that are faithful,

494
00:56:37,820 --> 00:56:43,710
innovative – with good manners – [and] revolutionary; the [correct] cultural work is one which would meet these [needs].

495
00:56:45,050 --> 00:56:52,250
The correct cultural work is the one which raises our youths to be revolutionary.

496
00:56:52,510 --> 00:56:57,820
This country has staged a revolution, [and everybody] must be committed to this revolution;

497
00:56:57,970 --> 00:57:06,250
we must adopt fundaments of this revolution as principles of our life in order to be able to move ahead;

498
00:57:07,420 --> 00:57:16,110
[our youths must be] faithful in ideals, loving their country – they must really love their country – loving the [Islamic] Establishment,

499
00:57:18,020 --> 00:57:22,400
[and also] with insight as well as religious and political depth.

500
00:57:23,480 --> 00:57:31,540
This young person must have profound religious view and political view

501
00:57:32,510 --> 00:57:36,000
so that he would not be misled with any small doubt

502
00:57:37,170 --> 00:57:40,400
or [would not] make a mistake with regard to political matters.

503
00:57:41,480 --> 00:57:49,740
Many people went astray in these incidents which took place in the sedition of [the Iranian year 13]88 (post-election unrest in 2009);

504
00:57:49,970 --> 00:57:55,510
they were not bad people, [but] they went astray due to lack of enough insight.

505
00:57:56,570 --> 00:58:03,800
Well, when you see a person saying, “Elections are just an excuse, the [Islamic] Establishment itself is the mark,” what have you got to do?

506
00:58:04,480 --> 00:58:14,340
You who believe in the Establishment, you who have been willing to sacrifice your life for the Establishment and to protect the Establishment,

507
00:58:14,650 --> 00:58:21,910
as soon as you see a group [of people] are shouting such a slogan, what have you got to do? This is [due to] lack of insight;

508
00:58:22,570 --> 00:58:28,110
[is due to] not understanding one’s duty in the time that is needed.

509
00:58:30,620 --> 00:58:39,420
Persons [must] be trained with self-confidence, with motivation, [and] full of hope.

510
00:58:40,620 --> 00:58:46,110
It is a correct saying that despair is the greatest loss;

511
00:58:47,020 --> 00:58:50,310
they must not be disappointed, must be hopeful in the future of the country;

512
00:58:50,480 --> 00:58:55,680
[and] there is room for hope; there is no room for despair; [just look at] all this [existing] capacity!

513
00:58:56,140 --> 00:59:03,480
I said the other day in [a meeting with] the cabinet – one [or] two months ago – and all gentlemen confirmed;

514
00:59:03,710 --> 00:59:09,600
I said ‘[the fact] that they say [the rate of] growth in that given European country

515
00:59:11,280 --> 00:59:17,450
is one and a half percent or one percent – which is not strange –

516
00:59:17,740 --> 00:59:22,000
and we expect our own growth [rate] to stand at eight percent, [or] nine percent

517
00:59:22,310 --> 00:59:28,600
is because they have taken advantage of all their capacities and have no more vacant capacity,

518
00:59:29,170 --> 00:59:34,170
[but] our capacities have remained idle; we can [even] achieve a growth [rate] of 10 percent as well.

519
00:59:34,420 --> 00:59:38,680
These capacities must be filled; these capacities must be taken advantage of.

520
00:59:39,170 --> 00:59:45,020
Well, isn’t there any room for hope in a country with so much capacity?

521
00:59:45,850 --> 00:59:50,570
[Training people] with correct understanding of the situation of the country; [and people] who would know in what state the country currently is [must be taken seriously].

522
00:59:50,910 --> 00:59:55,970
All the world – our enemies in one way, our friends in another way – say

523
00:59:57,000 --> 01:00:01,140
that the Islamic Republic of Iran is a powerful country,

524
01:00:01,570 --> 01:00:07,770
[but] this person in the country delivers a speech in a given place, saying ‘mister, we are nobody, we are nothing,

525
01:00:08,080 --> 01:00:16,170
we are isolated’! [He is a person] with low self-esteem; now, [he may] underestimate himself, why he underestimates the [entire] nation?

526
01:00:16,170 --> 01:00:19,710
Why he underestimates the Islamic Republic and the country?

527
01:00:20,200 --> 01:00:26,220
This low self-esteem is a very dangerous thing; the feeling of humiliation [is that]

528
01:00:28,280 --> 01:00:32,170
when the entire world says a country is dignified, a country is powerful,

529
01:00:33,020 --> 01:00:37,110
[and they] keep complaining, [and] are upset that [Iran] has gained influence, [and] is present everywhere,

530
01:00:37,510 --> 01:00:41,600
[at the same time] this person here inside [the country] in newspaper or in a speech

531
01:00:41,600 --> 01:00:48,850
or in a given university tells students that ‘no, we are nothing, [and] we are nobody’.

532
01:00:51,310 --> 01:00:53,540
[The important task is to train people] who believe in independence [of the country],

533
01:00:54,510 --> 01:00:59,620
intellectual independence, political independence, cultural independence, [and] economic independence.

534
01:00:59,850 --> 01:01:10,420
A young person who is trained through the cultural work, must in the true sense of the word believe in the independence of his country,

535
01:01:11,970 --> 01:01:17,880
have faith in the fundaments of revolution and the Establishment, have faith in the Islamic culture, be optimistic [and] with good spirit.

536
01:01:18,140 --> 01:01:26,310
This is [the true meaning of] cultural work. Well, this is not an easy task;  [and on the opposite] it is a very difficult task. [Fulfilling] this [task] requires [suitable] planning.

537
01:01:27,910 --> 01:01:33,970
Of course, the news that I receive from some universities does not show this.

538
01:01:34,400 --> 01:01:41,910
Do something, so that, youths [who are] faithful, revolutionary, well-spirited,

539
01:01:42,140 --> 01:01:49,800
motivated, with the feeling of self-esteem and religious [would] take control of the situation.

540
01:01:50,220 --> 01:01:52,400
This is one of your biggest responsibilities:

541
01:01:52,400 --> 01:01:58,400
to do something that these groups that are faithful and full of faith

542
01:01:58,620 --> 01:02:04,480
in the revolution and Islam would have the last say;

543
01:02:04,600 --> 01:02:08,420
[so that] they would have control of the situation; this is among your duties.

544
01:02:08,650 --> 01:02:13,970
After all, note my dear brethren and sisters, dear academics!

545
01:02:14,310 --> 01:02:23,820
I am interested in the university; since a long time ago, I have had both faith in the university and been very interested in it;

546
01:02:24,050 --> 01:02:29,620
know that the university and students are currently the target of the biggest conspiracies.

547
01:02:33,250 --> 01:02:39,480
[Our enemies] are in fear of us having a university whose student, [and] whose professor would enter the arena with revolutionary spirit,

548
01:02:39,480 --> 01:02:43,740
[and] with an aggressive spirit,

549
01:02:43,940 --> 01:02:50,880
disregard the red lines that enemies have drawn for them, move ahead,

550
01:02:51,080 --> 01:03:00,140
help the country progress, raise the flag of science, [and] highlight the revolutionary slogans.

551
01:03:01,250 --> 01:03:05,650
In order for this not to take place, they are making plans, [and] are spending a lot of money.

552
01:03:06,020 --> 01:03:12,650
That old form of colonialism is not possible anymore today;

553
01:03:13,140 --> 01:03:21,020
[and] that [concept] which was called “neo-colonialism,” has gradually become obsolete.

554
01:03:21,570 --> 01:03:25,680
[Therefore,] what is necessary [for enemies to do] and [the goal] they are pursuing is that

555
01:03:25,970 --> 01:03:32,220
the thinking within active and smart and elite elements of a county

556
01:03:32,740 --> 01:03:37,140
would be [directed] in a way that it would meet their goals; they are making investment in this,

557
01:03:37,680 --> 01:03:45,850
[and] are spending money on this. Attention must be paid to these concerns.

558
01:03:46,020 --> 01:03:51,570
We [have] also good [and] pious professors.

559
01:03:51,850 --> 01:04:00,220
Fortunately, we have thousands of faithful, revolutionary, [and] interested professors;

560
01:04:01,080 --> 01:04:04,910
[such professors] were also there in earlier times, [and] we had them in the period of the Sacred Defense as well.

561
01:04:04,910 --> 01:04:11,400
However, today, we have, thank God, many times more faithful and revolutionary professors compared to that time;

562
01:04:11,400 --> 01:04:14,020
these [professors] must be appreciated.

563
01:04:14,510 --> 01:04:20,940
I hope the Almighty God would help you and us to be able to take such steps.

564
01:04:23,200 --> 01:04:28,310
At last, the time is over, [and] I talked to you a lot today;

565
01:04:28,540 --> 01:04:35,600
[and] you listened well. When a listener pays good attention

566
01:04:36,080 --> 01:04:44,450
– I feel that all of you, thank God, paid attention and listened [to what I said] – I keep talking.

567
01:04:44,450 --> 01:04:49,420
However, what I have written down is more than what I told you, but there is no more time.

568
01:04:49,680 --> 01:04:54,650
I ask the Almighty God to, God willing, assist and help all of you;

569
01:04:54,880 --> 01:04:57,310
bestow his blessings on you;

570
01:04:57,680 --> 01:05:00,220
[and I wish] God willing, these positions that you have today,

571
01:05:00,220 --> 01:05:04,940
both in the university as chancellor, [or] as professor,

572
01:05:04,940 --> 01:05:11,540
and within administrative organs of [various] ministries, and at the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, and at the Majlis [Iranian parliament],

573
01:05:12,050 --> 01:05:17,170
and as representatives – in various and different positions that every one of you have –

574
01:05:17,370 --> 01:05:21,370
would become a cause of honor for you before God.

575
01:05:21,680 --> 01:05:23,940
Peace be unto you and so may the mercy of Allah and His blessings