TEHRAN – Iran held a farewell on Saturday morning for Dr. Akbar Etemad, widely known as the “father of Iran’s nuclear program.”

The funeral ceremony took place with the presence of Mohammad Eslami, Vice President and Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), alongside former heads of the organization, leading scientists, veterans, AEOI staff, and members of Dr. Etemad’s family.

Eslami paid tribute to Etemad, calling him “a heart that beat for the dignity and strength of the Iranian nation—one that will live on in the memory of history.” 

Eslami emphasized that building a nation’s honor requires sincere and exceptional dedication. “In today’s world, where power plays are overt and unashamed, it’s critical that we stay the course—with resilience, capacity, and clarity of purpose,” he said. He contrasted past diplomatic pressures with today’s more blatant tactics, urging continued determination in advancing Iran’s scientific and national goals.

Dr. Akbar Etemad, who passed away at the age of 95, leaves behind a profound legacy in Iran’s nuclear development. Educated in Switzerland with a doctorate in electrical engineering, Etemad made early contributions to atomic research at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology before returning to Iran in 1965. He soon became a technical advisor on nuclear projects, eventually establishing Iran’s Atomic Energy Office and, in 1974, becoming the first president of the AEOI—a post he held until the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Throughout his life, Etemad was a vocal defender of Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy, often warning against Western interference and emphasizing the need for a principled stance in the country’s nuclear policy. He spent his later years in France, where he passed away.