The first gathering of elites and top talents among conscripted personnel of the Armed Forces was held at the Supreme National Defense University.

According to the report by the Center for Communications and International Relations of the Supreme National Defense University, Brigadier General Dr. Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam, the University Commander, stated in the first gathering of elite and top talents among conscripted personnel of the Armed Forces—held by the University’s Elite Center—while referring to the epic presence of the Iranian nation in condemning recent events: “The great popular movement on the 22nd of Dey (January 12) once again frustrated the enemies.”

Brigadier General Ahmadi-Moghaddam, referring to the necessity of vigilance against enemies who intend to destroy this country, added: “We sustained damages in the 12-day war and the recent riots, but the presence of the people neutralized the seditions and schemes of the enemies.”

The Commander of the Supreme National Defense University continued, referring to the schools of Liberalism and Communism, and stated: “Focusing on cooperative companies and increasing taxes are among the measures that liberal democracy tries to shape the foundation of society upon. In contrast, in the 1990s, we witnessed the collapse of Communism, yet China continues to pursue this approach.”

He added: “Party-based democracy has also suffered severe erosion today. In other words, if we examine the U.S. National Security Strategy, we clearly see what exactly the United States is pursuing, and its primary intentions in Europe and the West Asia region are also included in this document.”

Brigadier General Ahmadi-Moghaddam stated that in the U.S. National Security Strategy, governments do not matter; rather, U.S. national interests are what hold importance. He added: “Regarding Europe, the U.S. National Security Strategy also says that the fate of Europe in the next 20 years is uncertain. Furthermore, this document outlines the problems and mechanisms for dealing with European countries.”

The Commander of the Supreme National Defense University, referring to America's hegemonic policies towards all countries of the world, emphasized: “America is an authoritarian and bullying regime that seeks to impose its intentions upon other countries.”

In another part of his speech, emphasizing the necessity of supporting knowledge-based jobs and companies, he stressed: “We must support productive enterprises so that these businesses, by focusing on production, lead to the country's economic development.”

Brigadier General Ahmadi-Moghaddam also, referring to the necessity of paying attention to the 12-day imposed war and its economic repercussions, said: “After the war, we witnessed an increase in the price of the dollar, which indicates the repercussions of this very war. However, it must be said that the cost of 'appeasement' is much higher than the cost of 'resistance,' and one can study the fate of governments that yielded to hegemony. For instance, the Soviet Union engaged in appeasement and ultimately collapsed.”

The Commander of the Supreme National Defense University stated: “Our country has many problems, and the way to overcome them is through revolutionary thinking and resistance against enemies. Of course, in the 'cognitive warfare,' the enemy tries to portray Iran as weak, but today we see that our trade volume in the world is about 200 billion dollars.”

He stated, “We have oil and gas resources, and a large portion of oil and gas production is consumed domestically," adding: "We also consume about 200 billion dollars' worth of energy annually, and the necessity of conservation for the better management of the country seems essential.”

Brigadier General Ahmadi-Moghaddam, referring to the existence of imbalance in the country across various domains including the economy, stated: “The dollar imbalance is also one of our challenges, which can be resolved by securing about 20 billion dollars in foreign exchange resources annually, and this problem must be solved through economic measures.”

In another part of his speech, the Commander of the Supreme National Defense University, referring to the necessity of innovation in society, stated: “Innovation is one of the characteristics of global powers, and it has also been clearly referenced in the U.S. National Security Strategy.”

He also, stating that we must pay attention to the "Second Phase of the Islamic Revolution" statement for the better advancement of affairs, emphasized: “We must strive to move towards progress in various scientific and industrial arenas, and the elites can play a role in this regard.”

Brigadier General Ahmadi-Moghaddam, emphasizing the necessity of promoting youthfulness in society, said: “Governments can devise solutions to the country's problems by utilizing the capacity of elites and the youth, and young people have a very good potential in the field of solving the country's problems.”

The Commander of the Supreme National Defense University emphasized that the capacities of students and their scientific capabilities can also be utilized to advance affairs, and that students are truly a very valuable resource.

Subsequently, during the continuation of the ceremony, Brigadier General Dr. Mohammad Mehdi-Nejad Nouri, Deputy for Science, Research, and Technology of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, stated that elites constitute one of the country’s principal assets, adding that elites are capable of effectively resolving some of the complex issues faced by the armed forces across various fields.

Brigadier General Mehdi-Nejad further noted that in the statements of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution (may his shadow be prolonged), greater emphasis is placed on the spiritual and psychological dimensions, service orientation, faith, and sense of responsibility of elites. He regards elitism as a divine trust bestowed upon an individual, for which specific duties are defined and corresponding social responsibilities must be assumed. Accordingly, a person may succeed in various academic disciplines and achieve a high-grade point average, which can serve as a prelude to elitism; however, in reality, elitism truly manifests when an elite individual possesses a sense of responsibility and concern within himself or herself and is not indifferent to the fate of society.

The Deputy for Science, Research, and Technology of the General Staff of the Armed Forces continued: “the organizations may have different definitions of an elite; however, the prevailing perspective within the armed forces—by which they are guided and which they seek to uphold—is that of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution (may his shadow be prolonged). Those who are both highly responsible and at the forefront of scientific skills undoubtedly hold a distinguished elite status.”

Brigadier General Mehdi-Nejad, referring to the duty of the armed forces in ensuring security, stated that societal security is founded upon national cohesion and tranquility, whereas the enemy, on the other hand, seeks to create distrust and unrest within society. In this context, when elites are given insight into the depth of affairs, they naturally become contributors to security; therefore, the armed forces have placed addressing certain concerns of elites on their agenda.

Continuing the ceremony, Dr. Ali Nikbakht, Deputy for Talents and Future Builders at the National Elites Foundation, stated that elites represent superior talents who contribute to the country’s progress and exert influence within society. Addressing the elites, he added that the term “elite” places a great responsibility upon their shoulders.

He continued: “the National Elites Foundation does not organize mathematics competitions, and that its primary emphasis is on ensuring that esteemed elites maintain their dynamism at all levels of education.”

At the conclusion of the ceremony, outstanding elite conscripts were honored.