Pars Today

Pars Today - Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, in a warm meeting with a group of medal winners of scientific Olympiads on Saturday, described the elite youths as a "source of ample, deep and real hope", and said, "The country is in need of a scientific leap and the elite youths are the main factor to secure this national need."

Ayatollah Khamenei, during the meeting, called the prominent and ready-to-work youths as a cause of happiness and satisfaction, and added, "I have full faith in the youths and the youth motive and consider you as a great wealth whose value is much higher than your honorable medals."

He called the ability to cause change in the country and even history and creating a one-hundred percent pleasant climate as a very important capacity of the young elite and continued, "The humane factor, not in the sense of politicians and rulers, but in the sense of intellectual- ethical and spiritual factors has taken Iran to an exemplary glory and greatness, in certain junctures of history."

Referring to the nearly 200-year period of the British and then American political dominance on Iran, the Leader said, "In that period, our culture and scientific growth was destroyed and, from the political respect, they kept Iran in a backward condition, but the [Islamic] Revolution, relying on mainly young forces, perturbed that state and created leap in various political, scientific, social ethics grounds and other arenas.

He called on the young elite to cooperation and bringing their thoughts together to solve different problems and issues, and added, "Winning a medal or a high grade in the university entrance exam is just the beginning of the current of elitism and the course of elitism should be continued and advanced in the scientific and technological fields and the spread of elitism, yet, the relevant bodies have duties in this regard and institutions and currents should be created in this field."

Ayatollah Khamenei called Iran's political independence as a palpable reality and said, "The Islamic Republic enjoys position, logic and worth-hearing words on important global issues which even our opponents count on it."

At the end of this meeting, medal winners of scientific Olympiads donated their medals to the Leader. Ayatollah Khamenei, appreciating them, stated, "I accept the medals from you, my children, but I believe that they should be with you. So, I return to you these medals which are the source of honor."

During the meeting, eight of the medal-winners of different school and university Olympiads expressed their views on various issues pertaining to elitism and the Leader called on the relevant officials to pursue the matter.

Before this meeting, the young elite held the midday ritual prayer in congregation, standing behind the Leader.

RM/MG

Key phrases: Leader of the Islamic Revolution, elite, Iran, Olympiad, school students, university students