Statements at the Meeting with Participants of the Eighth National Young Talents Conference

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

For someone of my age and in my position, there is hardly anything as sweet as meeting a gathering like yours; young people who have entered the realm of scientific life and promise a bright future for this country. People like us look to you, that God willing, the Almighty may grant you the success to build your country, your proud home, with your intellect, determination, and willpower in a way that is worthy of this homeland and this history. Therefore, you are very welcome; we are very happy to have you here today.

I truly enjoyed the remarks of Mr. Sattari. He himself is a talented individual, and his father, the martyr Mansour Sattari, was indeed a talented person; both in terms of intellect, knowledge, and operational capability, as well as motivation, faith, and presence in difficult arenas. May God willing, may our dear martyr Sattari be resurrected with his saints; may he also be granted success. The points he made were very good and completely correct. We hope that, God willing, the Foundation for Talents and this office, which has thankfully been established after our insistence and follow-up over several years, will be able to fulfill their duties properly.

One point I would like to make, which may be the main point of my speech: one of the things that it is appropriate for the country's talents to reflect upon and think about is the essence of talent and the concept of being talented. Take a scholarly and wise look at the essence of talent. This talent means a combination and collection of your abilities, and your determination to work and strive, and the patience you have shown and the persistence you have exercised. All of these—both that talent, and that determination, and that patience—are gifts from the Almighty God to you; this is divine sustenance: وَ اللهُ فَضَّلَ بَعضَکُم عَلى بَعضٍ فِى الرِّزق; (2) this is the sustenance that God has given you; both that talent and mental capacity you have, and that determination you have shown to study, research, read, work—many have talent, but lack the determination—and that patience that God has given you to spend time, sit down, read, think, study, discuss; these require patience; this patience is also a divine blessing, this is also divine sustenance.

Well, when we understand where this talent or determination comes from, we understand where it should be spent, where it should be invested. The Almighty God has determined: هُدًى لِلمُتَّقین. اَلَّذینَ یُؤمِنونَ بِالغَیبِ وَ یُقیمونَ الصَّلوةَ وَ مِمّا رَزَقنهُم یُنفِقون; (3) you must spend; this divine sustenance is given to you, this sustenance must be spent. Spending sustenance is not just about taking money out of your pocket and giving it to a needy person. This is a higher sustenance, a more valuable sustenance, and spending it is even more valuable; you must spend it. Spending the sustenance of knowledge means putting it in the service of society; in the service of your history, in the service of your future, in the service of your nation. These clarify the duties of being talented. Spending this sustenance means using it in the way of God; for the good of God's servants. You should not feel indebted—let me tell you this—it is true that you are spending this sustenance that the Almighty God has given you on those who are the general public, but you also benefit from the product of the work and service of the general public continuously; this is a give-and-take. The bread you eat, the clothes you wear, the means you use to commute, these are the products of whom? They are the products of those who are not called talented; they are serving you in some way; you too must serve them in some way; that is what being talented means. If this spending takes place, then divine guidance and divine assistance will follow. You see, in this noble verse: هُدًى لِلمُتَّقین; this book grants guidance to the pious. Who are the pious? They are the ones who اَلَّذینَ یُؤمِنونَ بِالغَیبِ وَ یُقیمونَ الصَّلوةَ وَ مِمّا رَزَقنهُم یُنفِقون. When you perform this spending, you will be among those who will receive divine guidance; this guidance is both in the realm of increasing talent and in the realm of success in how to spend this talent; God Almighty guides. Guidance will lead you to wherever there is a gap that you can fill; it does not matter where. You see, martyr Chamran was a scientific talent; everyone knows Chamran as a soldier and commander and warrior, but Chamran was a first-class scientific talent—I heard this from him and from others—among the highest-ranking students when he studied in America; he was a scientific talent in every sense, but he felt the need to come and work in this field; he used that talent, that ability, that determination to enter this field and accomplished remarkable tasks; this is a talented person. For example, martyr Majid Shahriari is also a talented person. He used that talent, that ability, that determination, entered this field, and accomplished remarkable tasks. This is a talented person; for example, martyr Majid Shahriari is also a talented person. In Shahriari's case, the discussion was no longer about war; there was a gap, a point that was needed, this talented person went there and started working; and likewise, our other talented martyrs who truly worked. In any case, when we understand that these are divine gifts, divine blessings, divine sustenance, we understand where to spend divine sustenance. This is one point that was the main point of my speech to you.

Regarding the issue of knowledge and research, we have spoken a lot; for several years; thankfully, these discussions have not been without effect. The country has made a vibrant, directed, and genuine scientific movement in the last ten to twelve years; we have completely started, thanks be to God; however, we must continue this path. In the recent decree I issued for the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, (4) I emphasized that the scientific movement must not be interrupted; because any interruption is accompanied by regression. We are in a global competition, and we have many backwardnesses; yes, our progress speed is good now, but the backwardness is so great that this speed of progress has not yet compensated; it has not yet been able to bring us to the necessary position. We must continue and strive. This scientific movement is necessary. If this scientific movement continues with the same distractions and follow-ups it has—one of which is the establishment of these knowledge-based companies and turning to a knowledge-based economy [is] these are necessities of this scientific movement that thankfully has gradually started—the country will be saved.

Mr. Sattari, our dear friend, said a very correct point here: in a country and economy that relies on underground resources and where windfall wealth prevails, talents are neither recognized, nor attracted, nor is there any feeling of need for talents. When we decide to extract this historical wealth from underground, to continuously sell raw materials, in a state of “national spoiled child”—let's put it this way; like spoiled children who do not appreciate money, they spend it however they can—the country will be managed in that way, where no talent will be recognized, no need for talent will be felt, and no talent will be able to play a role. The result is that the fate of the country falls into the hands of those who are the major policymakers of the world of oil and underground resources. Today it is like this: their policy is that one day the price of oil drops; suddenly you see the price of oil drops by 20 dollars; until yesterday, for example, they were selling it for 105 dollars, now they have to sell it for 85 dollars; these are global policies. A country that entrusts its economy to policymakers and planners outside the scope of its interests, the future of that country is clear. The country must be managed with internal power; in the correct expression of Mr. Sattari, with the resources above ground, meaning our internal talents, our human resources, the intelligence of our youth, with these, it must be managed; if this happens, no power in the world will be able to take the economic fate of the country or anything related to the economy of the country into its hands and make it a plaything. Therefore, we must pursue knowledge and research. This work is necessary.

Of course, producing knowledge that we mentioned should not be confused with producing articles. The statistics they provide, the articles that have been published, scientific articles, and sometimes valuable and reference articles that have gained reference status in the world, this is a good thing, a valuable thing, but this is not the whole story; firstly, the articles must lead to the registration of inventions, secondly, the articles must be relevant to the internal needs of the country; this must be pursued by both universities and research and scientific centers; this must be emphasized.

Let me also say that scientific progress is everyone's responsibility; it is a duty that falls on all the institutions of the country. Well, the Scientific Vice Presidency and the Foundation for Talents have important responsibilities and necessary tasks, but all universities in the country, indeed all various institutions in the country—education, the Ministry of Science, various institutions in the country—each can play a role. This comprehensive scientific map—which thankfully has been developed and published—can determine the responsibilities of various institutions. We must witness a complete scientific chain in the collection of universities in the country; in the true sense, a vast network of knowledge production in all dimensions and in all necessary sectors, all mutually reinforcing and complementary. Both our research centers and our universities, as well as the other institutions that are somehow related to scientific issues, must cooperate with each other; God willing, what is desired will be realized, which is the complete chain and complete scientific network that must be formed.

I recommend all of you dear youth to strengthen your connection with the Almighty God; as much as you can. The programs that are arranged for you should aim to strengthen this direction. Your hearts, young people, are pure; the more these pure and radiant hearts become familiar with the Almighty God—talk to God, ask from God, seek refuge in God, share your troubles with the Almighty God, the more you can create this state within yourselves—the more you will find success in the future. In this noble verse: اَلَّذینَ یُؤمِنونَ بِالغَیبِ وَ یُقیمونَ الصَّلوةَ وَ مِمّا رَزَقنهُم یُنفِقون, (6) before this spending, establishing prayer is mentioned, and prayer is a manifestation of connection and attachment to God. We hope that God Almighty grants all of you success and that our great Imam and our dear martyrs are pleased with all of you and pray for you; just as I am constantly praying for you young people.

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