TEHRAN (IRNA) -- All Iranian students and academics are required to fill the scientific gap between Iran and the advanced world, said the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei here on Thursday.

The Supreme Leader made the remarks in a meeting with a group of students, staff and officials of the Imam Sadeq (AS) University, who gathered to felicitate the ayatollah on auspicious occasion of Id al-Ghadir.

Shia Muslims celebrate the 18th day of the lunar month of Zil-Hajjah (Jan 19) each year as the Id al-Ghadir, the historic day on which Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) introduced Imam Ali (AS), as his true successor.

"Science is the source of economic, political and cultural powers," said the Supreme Leader adding that hegemonic powers were politically misusing their scientific abilities for dominance over the world.

"Gaining scientific power is the must for the Iranian nation, if it is willing to have its rightful voice be heard by the outside world," the Leader stressed. To this end, he added "All students are bound to make outstanding efforts to fill the scientific gap between Iran and the advanced world."

He further said that the world arrogance was trying to attract the academics, scientists and talented students of the Islamic countries and separate them from their own origin.

"A proper combination of religion and science in the Islamic universities would provide a correct model to the mankind who is mostly subject to self-alienation when they face the scientific progress of the West," The leader said. The ayatollah noted that students of the Islamic universities such as those in the Imam Sadeq (AS) University should present a model of the pure Islam which is free from any accusations of fanaticism, and backwardness."

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that reaching the highest level of scientific progress should be the ultimate goal for each and any of the Iranian students.