Islamic Republic's achievements in 4 decades (3)

Science and technology are the most important factors for the progress of a country. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Iran made strenuous efforts to compensate the backwardness of the regime of Shah and set the ground for scientific progress.

Although various sanctions and the 8-year war imposed by the US through its lackey, Saddam, slowed down the speed of scientific and technological progress in Iran, the war itself was a bounty as Imam Khomeini called it; because it forced Iranian youths to rely on the indigenous capacities and capabilities to make the country independent. Hence, numerous scientific and technological breakthroughs were put on display one after the other. As Ayatollah Khamenei stressed, “We need science, we need research. How far we advance in science it is not too much. I have been saying this for several years and thank God we have made progress.”Now, the Islamic Republic of Iran enjoys a prominent scientific position in the region and the world and in some of the sophisticated technologies which are in the monopoly of the western governments, Iran is a pioneer.

Scientific and technological progress is not possible without specialized and able forces. Hence, the Islamic Republic has embarked on expansion and deepening of education in every level since its establishment. The first step was taken by Imam Khomeini when he ordered the formation of “Literacy Movement” in the first year of founding the Islamic Republic. As a result, the literacy rate increased from 47 to over 90%. The number of schools and educational centers also has increased considerably. While there were 48 thousand schools in Pahlavi regime, this figure has increased to over 107 thousand so that 14 million students can acquire knowledge in more favorable conditions. Now, the average years of education has increased from 2.3 in 1970s to nearly 10 and most of the Iranian children are hopeful of continuing their education for 14 years. The Islamic Republic’s successes in the field of education have made the UNESCO to praise its efforts. Meanwhile, Iran’s progress in higher education has been more spectacular as the number of universities has increased more than 11 times compared with the Pahlavi regime. Currently, there are 2570 universities in Iran with 3 million and 800 thousand students studying in them; while before the Islamic Revolution there were just 170 thousand students in the universities. The eye-catching increase of Iranians with higher education has enabled the country to enjoy ample specialized and skilled workforce to accelerate development in various fields.

Scientific growth in Iran has been so high that the country stands at the 13th rank in the world. The speed of scientific growth has been 11 times more than the average global rate. The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), affiliated to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, announced that the Islamic Republic ranks first in the terms of sciences, research and inventions among Islamic nations. One of the criteria for assessment of a country’s scientific level is the articles that are published by valid scientific centers. According to the report of ISI, the number of scientific articles after the Islamic Revolution had increased more than 69 times in 2016. Last year 47 thousand Iranian documents were indexed at valid scientific centers in the world. Another outcome of giving priority to science and research is the successes of Iranian teenagers in various scientific Olympiads. Iranian students have participated in different fields such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer, biology, astronomy and so on. Since 1987 that the Islamic Republic attended scientific Olympiads, the representatives of Iran have garnered nearly 700 medals and have been among 10 top nations in difficult scientific exams.

Medicine is one of the indices of scientific progress of a country. The Islamic Republic of Iran has made great efforts for the betterment of the people’s health and hygiene, especially in the deprived regions. Progress in medical domain has grown 75 times more than the pre-revolution period so that the Islamic Republic of Iran ranks 17 in the world and first in West Asia. During the Pahlavi regime, there were just 10 thousand physicians and the government had to import doctors from other countries. But now this number has increased more than 12 times and there are more than 117 thousand physicians in the country. 43 thousand are general practitioners, 40 thousand are specialists or subspecialists and 20 thousand are dentists. The rest are residents or assistants. Before the Islamic Revolution, there were only 7 medical faculties with 700 students in Iran; while this figure has got to nearly 200 thousand who study in 60 universities and medical sciences faculties.

Life expectancy in Iran has increased to 77 years on average; which means 23 years more than before the Revolution. Furthermore, thanks to medical and clinical care, less than 1% of newborns die in Iran which has caused the World Health Organization to appreciate Iran twice as the most successful country in this field.

The postnatal care is also carried out seriously in Iran. Presently, vaccination coverage has reached 100% in Iran and some of the contagious diseases like infantile paralysis, measles and rubella have been uprooted. World Health Organization (WHO) has introduced the Islamic Republic as one of the most successful nations in this regard. Four decades after the Islamic Revolution, people in cities and villages have access to cheap medical services compared to the previous period. Almost every city in the country is equipped with hospital(s); whereas before the Islamic Revolution only 37% of cities had hospitals. In addition, over 20 thousand medical assistants are working in villages to boost the health of villagers. The Islamic Republic has gained the first rank in the region and the fifth rank in the world in the field of transplantation. As for bone marrow transplantation, Iran is the second country after Italy and has the third position in treatment of infertility. Moreover, Iran has attained great achievements in production of medicine so that 97% of the medicine needed in the country is made domestically. The surplus is exported to many countries. The Islamic Republic has the fourth position in Asia in production of biotechnological medicines. 29 types of these medicines have already been made in Iran. These medicines are used for curing diseases like cancer, MS and hemophilia.

In general, the Islamic Republic has reached a stage in medicine that many patients travel to Iran for treatment and in fact Iran has turned into the pole of health tourism in the region. 

Universities should play their part in shaping the new Islamic civilization

Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic 

Revolution, met Wednesday morning with 

heads of universities, higher education 

organizations, science and technology parks 

and research centers. Speaking at the meeting, 

His Eminence highlighted the scientific history, 

legacy and experience of the country before and 

after the emergence of Islam and pointed to the 

role of universities in contemporary history 

particularly during revolutionary activities and 

after the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed the necessity of planning in universities and scientific centers for benefiting from scientific legacies and experiences, reiterating: “Measuring our scientific need for the present time and the future, preventing the rate of our scientific progress from slowing down, implementing the comprehensive scientific plan in a thorough way, paying attention to quality in higher education, pursuing the issue of the relationship between universities and industries in a serious way, encouraging universities to play their part in the economy of resistance, expanding the environment of religious and Islamic culture, deepening religious and political insight and providing opportunities for students and ideological, revolutionary and pious professors are the requirements that help universities play a role in shaping the new Islamic civilization.”  

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “During the time of Qajar and Pahlavi dynasties, the scientific movement of the country was unfortunately stopped because of certain reasons. At a time when science blossomed in Europe, we could not benefit from our talents, our scientific opportunities and our scientific disposition. This was why we fell behind the scientific movement in the world.”

Pointing to the westerners’ planning for training managers – in so-called third-world countries - on the basis of western thinking and lifestyle and with the help of universities, His Eminence stated: “In implementing their plan in Iran, they faced certain problems because of the Iranian identity and because of the development and depth of Islamic and religious thinking among students and academic personalities. And after the Islamic movement in the year 1341, a great and growing religious movement began in universities.”

He added: “The victory of the Islamic Revolution – which was like an earthquake for the western and eastern world of those days – exerted significant influence on universities and many of the most self-sacrificing and sincere companions of the Revolution emerged from universities.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described channeling scientific articles and PhD theses in line with the current and future needs of the country as an important issue and added: “Nuclear science is one of the needs of the country which has been invested in since many years ago because if the possibility of using oil is eliminated or if oil reserves come to an end, we will definitely need alternative sources of energy.”

Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the attainment of 20-percent uranium by young Iranian scientists, saying: “At a certain point in time, the fuel for Tehran research reactor – which had been designed for making pharmaceuticals – was running out and westerners had set humiliating terms for delivering this fuel, but our talented and religious youth satisfied the need of the country for 20-percent uranium with their round-the-clock efforts.”

His Eminence mentioned that the most difficult stage in uranium enrichment is obtaining the 20-percent uranium and that obtaining higher levels up to 90-percent is very easy, adding: “The reason behind westerners’ nervousness on the nuclear issue was this. Of course, if they had delivered the fuel for Tehran research reactor, we would never have gone after 20-percent enrichment.”

He described the rate of Iran’s scientific progress and the continuation of the scientific movement as very necessary and fundamental as it makes up for the country’s backwardness, further reiterating: “Unfortunately, some people who are academics themselves say to students in universities that our scientific achievements are a lie! If they are a lie, then why does a Zionist research center express its concern about Iran’s scientific progress?”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also warned that if the rate of Iran’s scientific progress slows downs, this will be to the disadvantage of the country, stressing: “If the rate of the scientific progress of the country goes down, the gap between us and the scientific movement of the world will widen. Therefore, we should preserve our rate of scientific progress.”

He stressed the necessity of universities’ role in the economy of resistance with the cooperation of knowledge-based companies and stated: “On the issue of implementing the economy of resistance, what should have happened has not happened yet. Executive officials have just delivered a report to me about the plans that have been formulated for implementing the economy of resistance.”

Elsewhere in his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei touched on cultural issues in universities. Criticizing some of the measures that have been adopted, he said: “Some people confuse cultural work with sexually integrated concerts and camps. In order to justify their wrong measure, they say, ‘Students should be happy.’ Being happy is good for any environment, but at what price? At the price of holding mixed ceremonies and camps? Have westerners reaped any benefit – other than the current [sexual] crimes – from allowing men and women to socialize with one another so much so that we follow the same methods?”

His Eminence stated that religious and political insight is very important for youth as it prevents them from making grave mistakes. He reiterated: “The reason why many individuals – who were not bad people - slipped up in the fitna of the year 1388 was lack of insight. When the other side says, ‘Elections are just an excuse and the essence of the system is the main target’ what should a person who believes in the system do? If there is no insight, one cannot fulfill one’s duties at the time of need.”

He described lack of self-confidence as the gravest danger that exists for a people, stressing: “Lack of self-confidence and underestimating the capabilities and power of the people and the country make some people inside the country say, ‘We are nobodies and we are isolated.’ This is while everyone is acknowledging the power and influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the region.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated that educating youth who believe in intellectual, political and economic independence is an essential cultural task in universities. He added: “The news that I receive about certain universities and that I hope is not true shows something else as [I have been told that] religious, revolutionary and broad-minded groups are pressured in universities.”

Referring to his deep and long-standing interest in universities and academic societies, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Today, universities and students are the target of the greatest plots. The enemies of the country are intimidated by the presence of academic personalities with a revolutionary and offensive spirit in the arena because they can eliminate their red lines, raise the flag of knowledge and highlight revolutionary slogans. This is why they plan for and invest heavily in confronting this movement.”

His Eminence stressed the necessity of promoting values in academic environments, saying: “We should pay attention to the concerns that ideological and revolutionary students and also thousands of pious and revolutionary university professors have in universities and we should thank and appreciate the value of such university professors.”