TEHRAN - A hundred and fifteen medal winners of national and international scientific competitions as well as members of the National Youth Volleyball team met with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday morning.

 In the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei encouraged the young audience to push ahead with their talents, saying, “The gifted individuals have an endless path before them, and mankind’s capabilities are endless and extraordinary. Do not let your capacity and talents stop at this level. When you win medals, you should continue to move forward.”

Ayatollah Khamenei made a reference to underdevelopment imposed on the Iranian nation during the Qajar and Pahlavi eras, urging young intellectuals and gifted individuals to move beyond borders in achieving and developing advancements, the khamenei.ir reported.

“We have a lot to do; once we had a leading position in the world. Then, it began to decline. Yet, during the past couple of centuries, with the foreigners’ intrusion into the country, the decline is no longer normal. Instead, it is imposed. We were held back and the world advanced.”

“Despite all our efforts after the Islamic Revolution, especially during the past twenty years, in the areas of technological and scientific dynamism, we are still suffering from much underdevelopment; and the most important duty of the young gifted generation, in addition to fast continuation of scientific success, is to break through the frontiers of science and technology.”

Referring to Iran’s leading position in nanotechnology, the Leader emphasized, “It is expected that the talented and future generations discover hundreds of new areas like nano and unknown phenomena in science, biology and technology, and not be satisfied with only continuing the scientific progress.”

SP/PA