How human values and national scientific advancement became the driving forces behind Iran?

The Historical Foundations of the Islamic Revolution of Iran

The Islamic Revolution of Iran took place at a time when the international system was divided between two competing power blocs: the Western bloc led by the United States and the Eastern bloc led by the Soviet Union. For centuries, the front of truth had found little opportunity to emerge on the global stage. It was under these circumstances that the Islamic Revolution of Iran, following a massive popular uprising in response to the call of Imam Khomeini, triumphed. The Islamic Revolution represented an independent alternative to both blocs. Inspired by Imam Khomeini's leadership and guided by the slogan 'Neither East nor West, but the Islamic Republic,' the Revolution sought to establish a political order founded upon two essential pillars: Islam as the ideological and legal framework of the state and popular participation as the foundation for establishing, administering, and safeguarding the political system.

The Leadership of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei

Following the death of Imam Khomeini, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei assumed the leadership of the Islamic Republic for the next thirty-seven years. During this period, the collapse of the Soviet Union transformed the international system into a predominantly unipolar order centered on the United States. This made the period particularly challenging for the Islamic Republic of Iran. This era also coincided with significant technological advances in the West, during which the United States and its Western allies prominently promoted the concept of globalization. According to this perspective, globalization represented an American theoretical framework for consolidating its dominance over the world's peoples and establishing a modern form of hierarchical international order.

The Central Role of Science and Technological Advancement

In contrast, under the leadership of Ayatollah Khamenei, the Islamic Revolution promoted values such as genuine freedom, morality, spirituality, justice, national independence, rationality, brotherhood, the centrality of the family, and the rejection of oppression and domination. These values are viewed as being rooted in human nature and are therefore regarded as timeless principles that remain meaningful and attractive to people across all over the world and all generations. Alongside promoting and strengthening these values, the martyred leader placed particular emphasis on science, research, and technological development. In many of his public speeches and also, meetings with scientists and researchers, he emphasized the importance of scientific progress and technological advancement in preserving Iran's independence and confronting the hegemonic international order.