Parviz Karami

 “Taranom”, my dear granddaughter, has recently started to talk and tells me a lot of things. I have been listening carefully to her for some time to come up with something pristine and clever. She has just learned to read numbers, and at the first opportunity to embrace me, she tests my literacy with paper. As expected, I would lose to her. For example, she wanted me to write her the number two. When I wrote, she told me that I made a mistake. I was surprised but she showed me the clock on the wall. The clock’s numbers were written in Latin and that is how she taught us the numbers. I had nothing to say. After that, I tried very hard to find a clock for the numbers to be in Farsi. I have seen fewer clocks to be like that. This example shows the depth of our duality.

I remembered the statements of our Supreme Leader, who considered the national effort the only way to strengthen Iran, affirming: this dear nation and this dear country also become stronger by the grace of God. The scientific leap of the country that supports the realization of our dependence and the presence of the nation in all actions is important not only in the military dimension, but also in the economic dimension”. A question raised is that: How can we become stronger? What is the way Where should we look as a traffic light? Where should our vision be?

There are many problems and we do not deny it. The sanctions and threats against Iran have increased. This year, winter was colder than other days. From the cruel assassination of General Soleimani to the death of some of our people in his funeral and the airplane crash that led to the death of many people. The difficulties of the Iranian Nation's resistance have made it very hard to tolerate bullying. This resistance will be soon taught to our children and in their books to give them hope. Now is the story of sympathy. Being passive is meaningless to our people. Iranian community has proven that hope and ambition are part of its collective spirit and public opinion. Iran is young. It has always been young and will remain young. That is why it has never stopped improving. From the invasion of Alexander to the acts of bloodthirsty Genghis Khan and others’ harassment, each of them wanting to damage us and were successful to some extent. However, they failed to destroy us. According to historians, Islamic Iran will be immortal.

I wrote about the youth to remind you that the Iranian community works only with the help of the youth. If you look at the different parts of our community, you see that the youth are active everywhere. They have extensive presence in my workspace, startups, knowledge-based companies and field entrepreneurial program.

I want to say that we appreciate every one of these young people, as well as our children and will help them to come to the field and enhance our community. We are still very sad about the loss of our dear elites in the airplane crash and the martyrdom of General Soleimani, who was an Iranian and Islamic hero to us. However, we are used to tolerate hard times. These unwanted incidents will not inhibit us from moving toward the peaks of advancement. Today, on the verge of the 41^st anniversary of the victory of Islamic revolution, our achievements in the field of science and technology are well known to all people and we have been ranked 16^th in terms of science production across the world. Moreover, we have received single-digit ranks in the area of strategic sciences and technologies, and the establishment of 5000 knowledge-based companies, 6000 startups and 1000 creative companies has led to meeting most needs of the people.

Our strength is relying on the youth and their science, technology and bravery. The others might want to sanction our oil sale and eliminate it completely, but they cannot do anything about our youth. Even those who immigrate and are supported by the system in line with the elite turnover policy, are returning to the country every day and provide us with solutions that can improve our country. What are the cruel nations going to do with these people? Our country’s history and geography clearly teach us that there is no dead-end for Iranians. We will continue our path; a path that is pleasant and right for us and others. When I look at my granddaughter, I am filled with hope and responsibility. To be stronger, we need our youth and elimination of their weaknesses to make a great future. Our Islamic Iran has always been strong and young. Iran will always stand and our cooperation will improve its condition. “working with elites is an inevitable responsibility for all of our authorities and is for a great goal, which is turning Iran into an advanced, powerful, and honorable country that has many things to say in the humanity and international fields” (The Supreme Leader of Iran, statements in meeting with scientific elites, November 18^th, 2016)

Advisor to the vice president for science and technology affairs