Head of Royan Institute: Martyred Leader turned "We Can" into a practical reality in Iran

Pars Today – The president of Iran’s Royan Institute said the martyred Leader’s approach to science and technology transformed the slogan “We Can” from a concept into a practical national strategy, helping lay the foundation for Iran’s scientific progress.

According to Pars Today, citing IRIB News, Abdolhossein Shahverdi said the late Leader had an exceptional vision for Iran’s scientific community. He added that the martyred Leader initiated a “software movement” in Iranian universities and closely followed the country’s scientific development by forming scientific advisory groups in his office and holding regular meetings with academics and leading researchers.

Shahverdi emphasized that the martyred Leader consistently viewed science as a source of national strength and believed that scientific advancement would enable Iran to speak with greater authority on the international stage.

Referring to the martyred leader’s support for emerging sciences in Iran, the president of the Royan Institute said that although there were initial reservations about stem cell research, the late Leader placed his trust in Iranian researchers, helping pave the way for its development. He added that Iran is now among the leading countries in the field.

Shahverdi said that Iran’s advances in areas such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, laser technology, and reproductive medicine during the late Leader’s tenure were the result of investment in human capital and the education of a generation that believes in its own capabilities.

He also noted that Iranian researchers are now regularly invited to speak at international scientific forums. According to Shahverdi, the journal Andrology ranked the Royan Institute among the world's top ten centers in reproductive medicine, which he attributed to the martyred Leader’s confidence in Iran’s scientific community.

The Royan Institute president also highlighted the late Leader’s support for the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), saying he likened the institution to a greenhouse where talent and valuable achievements should be nurtured and developed.

Concluding his remarks, Shahverdi said the memory of the martyred Leader would remain alive within Iran’s scientific community and among the public, adding that his character, leadership, and vision would continue to serve as a lasting model.