Ayatollah Khamenei holds a two-hour meeting with university professors.

In a meeting with hundreds of university professors, academics, researchers, elites this evening (Wednesday), which lasted over two hours, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei elaborated on the unrivalled role of university professors in raising students and giving shape to the standing of Iran in the highly problematic and evolving world of the future and described International Quds Day as very important, stressing, “This auspicious day is not merely meant for the declaration of support for an oppressed nation, but is the symbol of fighting Arrogance and global hegemons.”
In the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the forthcoming International Quds Day, adding, “The commemoration of Quds Day does not merely mean defending an oppressed nation who have been driven out of their motherland and homes, but defending Palestine today is defending a reality much greater than the issue of Palestine.”
He reiterated, “Today, fighting the Zionist regime is fighting Arrogance and the hegemonic order and, which is why, US politicians feel battered by and hostility toward this move.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution then described the main subject of this remarks in the meeting as the clarification of “the responsibility of professors and teachers,” adding, “A professor who is ‘positive-thinking, committed, optimistic, a believer in religious principles and national roots and revolutionary issues’ and possesses ‘sense of responsibility as well as firm determination and motive for action’ can have a unique and unmatched role in compelling the students to think and act.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said, “On the other hand, if the sights of the professor is set outside the borders and they have no belief in the country and the common and prevalent identity concepts, they will raise students with the same corrupt outlook and this very bitter experience emerged in the [pre-Revolution] Pahlavi era [but] the Islamic Revolution, in fact, saved the country from a generation which was devoid of all religious and national principles from coming to power.”
He described universities in their present form as “the centre of science, innovation and exertion of influence on the society and the country” and reiterated, “From the day that universities were established in Iran, the hegemonic elements sought to prevent the realization of a scientific move proportionate to Iranian talents and the emergence of innovation, and manage the influence of universities on the society through various affiliated security and cultural institutions.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described the prevention of the admission of new sciences as among the agendas of hegemons for undermining the universities in Iran and added, “In successive years in the Pahlavi era, Westerners never transferred important scientific advances and modern sciences into our universities and prevented any kind of innovation in universities by transforming universities to a destination for Western values.”
Pointing to the very important endorsement by university students and staff of the Islamic movement and late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution added, “Despite suffering fundamental problems and simultaneously being exposed to two factors conflicting with the Islamic ideology, namely the Marxist orientations and the morally corrupting propaganda, the universities joined the ranks of the nation and Islamic movement and played a leading role in shaping revolutionary institutions such as ‘Reconstruction Organization and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps’.”
He reiterated, “This reality showed the favourable grounds in universities for turning to Islam and the Revolution and this was considered a very good opportunity for the progress of the Revolution and Iran.”
Ayatollah Khamenei described “the saviour of universities from the deviant orientation,” “the comprehension of the importance of science and scientific orientation in academic centres” and “the mobilization of universities” as the blessings of the Islamic Revolution and added, “Most of the students of that era have turned into professors who can play serious roles in fostering growth in universities and safeguarding the values of Islam and the Revolution.”
The Leader of the Revolution drew up and defined two clear and complementary paths in the realization of this goal: first, “the raising and influencing of students by professors” and second, “their influence on the environment outside the universities.”
Pointing to the occurrence of very rapid and decisive developments in the world, the Leader described the future decades of the world as very problematic and addressing the university professors, said, “Raise the student youths of this land to face such a world.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution added, “If the youthful human resource of the country is raised ‘religious, revolutionary, deep, literate and resolute,’ it can in the true sense of the word break down the historic barrier and [burst] the historic bubble of Iran’s dependence and restore Iran and Iranians to their real position and status.”
The Leader cautioned, “Otherwise, our country would, like the period from the Constitutional [Revolution] to prior to the [1979] Revolution, will once again enter the dark and long corridor of humiliation and dependence.”
Ayatollah Khamenei described dependence in thought and action as a very negative element, adding, “In order to deal with the important and strange issue of the coming decades, today’s youth must be ‘informed, efficient, sophisticated, self-confident and possessing a resilient spirit’ and while taking pride in their national identity should be aware that the real national interests are interests that are not in conflict or incompatible with national identity.”
He described today’s youth having being born and growing up in an Iran that has no dependence on world powers as resulting in the lack of sufficient understanding of the importance of independence and told the university professors, “Raise the youth to be appreciative of the independence of the country.”
After elaborating on the importance of the role of professors in the correct nurturing of the youth, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution turned to the second area of the university professors’ influence, namely, “influencing the environment outside universities.”
Pointing to remarks by some of the professors in the meeting, the Leader said, “It is important that such notions and viewpoints be heard by decision-making centres and play a role in the adoption of correct decisions.”
Ayatollah Khamenei described the pathology and finding a resolution to endeavours and activities that do not bear favourable results in the country as the other areas of role-playing of the university professors.”
Citing some examples in this regard, he added, “Everyone approves of ‘resistance economy’ and commissions and committees are set up for it, but there is no progress and this shows that there is a scientific complication, the detection and settlement of which is the job of university professors.”
“The futility of efforts to create jobs in the current and previous administrations,” “lack of tangible progress in the execution of Article 44 [of Iran’s Constitution],” “Search for the root causes of the vast liquidity of the country not being at the service of production and progress” and “the problems of the banking system as well as the insufficiency of efforts for the realization of social justice” were among the other cases that the Leader of the Islamic Revolution urged the university professors to address and resolve.
Ayatollah Khamenei cited “assistance to the macro management of the country” as another area where academics can play a role, adding, “‘The infection of the software of the macro management of the country with viruses’ by the enemies is among the issues that will create disruptions in all affairs. To prevent the emergence of this problem, the capacity of academics must be tapped into.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also said one of his expectations of the university professors is the elucidation of various issues.
Thanking one of the speakers of the meeting who talked about the aspects of the “UNESCO’s Education 2030 document,” the Leader added, “This is a very important and dangerous issue that some behind the smokescreen of various United Nations bodies, such as UNESCO, are creating an ideological, scientific, cultural and practical system for all nations so that the entire world thinks and acts based on their will.”
Ayatollah Khamenei added, “The 2030 Document is part of the overarching document of the United Nations, namely the ‘Sustainable Development Agenda,’ within whose framework and in a defective and wrong move the global hegemons want to control all nations, but what right do they have to make decisions about the beliefs, traditions and cultures of other nations? These are realities that university professors must clarify for the society.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated, “The fact that some say that these documents are not binding is some kind of superficialism, because all the components of this document are binding in reality and the failure to implement them will lead to some kind of reaction from the other side.”
At the conclusion of this part of his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei raised a fundamental question, “Basically, what is the need for us to endorse these documents and practically accept that the Westerners provide us with models?”
He added, “It is several years now that we raised the issue of the Islamic-Iranian progress model and this model must be drawn up with the effort of academics and the path of Westerners giving examples to the country must be closed.”
Recalling the effects of the resistance of the nation and the Islamic establishment in advancing the objectives of Islam and the revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed, “The nation will continue this proud path and by the grace of God, the ultimate victory will certainly and definitely be theirs.”
Ayatollah Khamenei also invited everyone, particularly university professors, to make maximum use of the final days of the auspicious month of Ramadan and make supplication to the divine court and added, “Today, the country is facing many issues and problems and these problems can be resolved with the effort of everyone and by consolidating relations with God Almighty, because communication with God will result in power, hope, and settlement of problems.”
At the beginning of this meeting, misters:
- Dr. Mahmoud Fotouhi - the president of Sharif University of Technology
- Dr. Ebrahim Mottaghi - full professor at Tehran University
- Dr. Seyyed Hassan Qodsipour - professor at Amirkabir University of Technology
- Dr. Ebrahim Soozanchi Kashani – assistant professor at Sharif University of Technology
- Dr. Hojjatoleslam Hamid Parsania - associate professor at Tehran University
- Dr. Kioomars Yazdan Panah – associate professor at Tehran University
- Dr. Hossein Eivazloo – associate professor at Imam Sadeq University
And Mrs. Khadijeh Zolghadr – associate professor at Azad University
expressed their concerns and views in their remarks.
The most important subjects in the viewpoints of the professors are as follows:
- The need to employ university students and graduates in their specialized fields
- The importance of paying particular attention to the concept of “threat and power” and attending to its consequences
- Criticism of the disconnect between universities and the administrative and planning structure of the country
- Criticism of the termination of some of the macro scientific plans of the country
- The need to transform the economic structure and attention to science-based economy
- The importance of attending to Islamic and local capacities in the issue of women
- Suggestion to establish a council for economic stability and a centre for Islamic financial system studies
- Criticism of the lack of sufficient oversight over monetary and banking laws and the need for a comprehensive view of them
Also, one of the participants raised some issues concerning the condition of scholarship students (abroad) and criticized the problems created for them. In response, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated, “This request and the injustice that was mentioned must certainly be followed up on and the minister of science, research and technology has already been cautioned about issues similar to this one.”
At the end of the meeting, Maghrib and Isha prayers were led by Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the participants broke their fast alongside him.