The National Defense University is one of the vital institutions for securing the key to a successful future for Islamic Iran.

According to the Center for Communications and International Relations, the commemoration of Research Week and the unveiling of successful theories took place on Tuesday, December 27, in the presence of military and civilian officials at the National Defense University. During this event, Dr. Mohammad-Reza Mokbar Dezfuli, esteemed President of the Academy of Sciences, commended the efforts made in introducing new theories at the National Defense University. He elaborated on the importance of utilizing the potential of domestic talents and both soft and hard capabilities. The full text of his speech is as follows:

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

I extend my greetings to all the esteemed attendees present at this session. First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to the dear friends who organized this conference, especially my esteemed brother, General Dr. Ahmadi-Moghaddam. I have a reasonable familiarity with the University of National Defense, which has made significant strides over the years and has coordinated remarkable strategic initiatives.

As an academic, I feel it is my duty to congratulate all the scholars and researchers of our country on the occasion of Research Week and to pray for their continued success from the Almighty.

December 27 marks the Day of Unity between the Seminary and the University, a subject that has long been of interest to the country's leaders. Throughout this extended period following the Revolution, there have been bright beginnings and significant milestones in this regard; however, it has not yet transformed into a continuous and sustained path. Various reasons contribute to this situation. There have been many ups and downs, as well as both failures and successes in this area. Nevertheless, we must recognize that the future of science and the emergence of a strong Iran can flourish through the synergy of these two pillars.

It is essential that we cultivate serious and foundational ideas in this domain, alongside practical and operational applications, which, to this point, I believe have not yet been fully realized, even though some aspects have emerged sporadically.

First, it is important to note that today, science is no longer just science. It is not defined solely for the sake of knowledge or even for the service of others. Instead, science is increasingly seen as a form of power. Today, science is synonymous with power, and in every endeavor, the path is determined by contemporary scientific discourse.

Recently, in a publication, American sources have referred to the concept of "superpower" in relation to scientific superiority, highlighting new domains that will shape the future of the world. We can observe examples of this in recent events. Scientific superiority has the potential to be both destructive and beneficial for humanity. The critical factor lies in who wields this power and these astonishing tools. If they fall into the hands of destructive forces, as seen in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, the consequences will be dire. Conversely, if they are in the hands of righteous individuals, they can lead to the prosperity of humanity.

Moreover, we have a serious future-oriented mission. Those engaged in the field of science and technology must significantly emphasize their influence and support, not only at the national level but also globally.

We can achieve scientific superiority, but in what domains? We can acquire modern and advanced capabilities, but on what foundation and theoretical basis? The common thread among all the theories discussed today is science. Perspectives have evolved significantly compared to previous decades.

As I reflect on the advancements we have made and the revolutionary changes in the field of science and technology that we are currently facing, I believe it is essential to review our achievements. We should not ignore our weaknesses; rather, we need to dedicate a separate session to critically analyze them. One of the key responsibilities of strategic institutes is to provide profound insights rather than superficial assessments regarding strategic matters. When attention and focus are directed toward these issues, the results can be impactful.

In the years following the revolution, when we took over the universities, both the hardware and software aspects were significantly underdeveloped and lagging. At that time, there was no trace of Iran in any international indicators or citation databases. However, today, Iranian scholars contribute to 2% of the world’s scientific output and 3% of highly cited articles, which represents highly reliable global documentation.

Currently, there are 100,000 university professors across 350 to 400 universities in our country. The ratio of researchers per million people is incomparable to what it was before the revolution. We now have between 19 to 22 million researchers in our country, translating to approximately 1,500 researchers per million. These are the assets we possess.

In contemplating the governance of science and technology for the future—both the near and distant—we must consider how to design these hardware and software systems. We frequently mention the term "governance" in our discussions, yet we often overlook the essential keywords that will later define the nature of this governance.

Strategic centers, such as the National Defense University, play a crucial role in securing the keys to a prosperous future for Islamic Iran. I would like to address a few points regarding this mechanism. Despite having a significant number of elites in our country, we have yet to design a pathway or method for utilizing their potential. As someone who has been involved in academic and scientific matters since the onset of the Cultural Revolution, I assert that if we do not create a framework for our elites within the newly formed global classifications, we will be unable to retain them or leverage their capacities.

The future governance of our country cannot be achieved with a low intellectual quotient; it requires a high level of intelligence. We possess a vast pool of elite talent in our nation, yet we do not know how to utilize it effectively. We must develop the capability to harness this potential. A large number of these elites are currently working in the best research institutions worldwide. Why should they not serve their homeland? Some of the top global leaders in fields such as automotive engineering, medicine, stem cell research, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing are of Iranian descent.

Therefore, my preliminary proposal is this: why do our universities lack the capacity to accommodate these young talents? As the Supreme Leader has stated, to achieve intellectual authority, we need two wings of belief. One wing focuses on opening scientific horizons for the future, primarily covering fundamental sciences. While this may not yield immediate products, it creates a rich foundation of knowledge that can later be transformed into technology.

Some of the topics currently utilized in various everyday technologies have a background of 20 to 40 years. When a physicist, chemist, or a researcher in basic sciences was working on a catalyst or a method decades ago, they couldn't have imagined that their research would eventually find applications in our mobile devices today. They were, in fact, paving the way for scientific breakthroughs. Thus, our intellectuals must be organized along this trajectory. In our country, universities struggle to coordinate these efforts. A significant part of our governance should address this issue.

Many of our talented individuals have the potential to solve the country's problems, including energy challenges. Yet, we fail to harness these capabilities effectively. For instance, why does China manage to produce 600,000 megawatts of solar energy in the desert—eight times our total electricity consumption? We produce 120 million tons of food in our country, yet access to food remains limited for many. The same applies to transportation and transit.

There is a vast reservoir of talent in our nation. Our expertise lies in labeling these individuals, often leading them to apply their intellect elsewhere. We also have many intermediaries acting as brokers in various fields. We need to leverage these two wings of intellectual capacity in fundamental sciences and future-oriented innovations, even if they don't seem immediately relevant. These efforts should be organized into scientific clusters. If we achieve this, the scientific leap envisioned by our Supreme Leader will occur.

Building a strong Iran is one of our key objectives. Achieving this requires groundwork. A knowledge-based economy must emerge; otherwise, the traditional economy will continue to generate the corruption and issues we observe. Scientific authority can take shape, allowing us to envision a strong Iran and pass it on to future generations. The key is to utilize both the material and natural resources of this country effectively. Strategic centers must take their roles seriously and focus on leveraging our human capital—an inherent advantage of the Islamic Republic of Iran—while moving forward with unity, collaboration, coordination, and a hopeful vision for the future.

At times, we may wish to discuss challenges but struggle to convey these issues without causing despair or concern among the public. We must find common points and dialogues to reach our goals. I wish you success and prosperity.

Peace be upon you, and may God’s mercy and blessings be with you.