Iran among most advanced regional states in science, technology

Iranian Ambassador to Beirut Qazanfar Roknabadi downplayed the effects of the western pressures and sanctions against Iran, and said the country stands among the most advanced countries in the region and the world in science and technology. \"In addition to bearing different pressures and sanctions, Iran has managed to find a place among the most advanced countries in the region and the world in scientific and technological fields after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, relying on the strong will of its young people and scientists,\" Roknabadi said, addressing a number of scholars and university students in Beirut on Monday. He also played down the effects of the western sanctions against Iran in impeding the country\'s progress. \"The hegemonic powers and the enemies of the Islamic Revolution, spearheaded by the Zionist regime and the US, have made desperate attempts to prevent the Islamic Republic from paving the path of scientific progress through political excuses, different pressures, plots, sanctions and even assassination of Iranian scientists, but they lacked the ability to overcome the willpower and the firm determination of the Iranian people, specially our young scientists.\" In similar remarks in February, Iranian Minister of Science, Research and Technology Kamran Daneshjou also played down the effects of the US-led western sanctions on Iran\'s scientific growth and progress, saying that science and knowledge are not prone to sanctions. \"We do not consider knowledge and science to be prone to sanctions and no one and no power can deprive the Iranian scientists\' minds of creativity and flourishing,\" Daneshjou said, addressing the 26th International Kharazmi Festival here in Tehran. He underlined that Iranians are a peaceful nation, but they do not like to become westernized or adopt western-style methods. \"We do not want hostility and war with any government and nation and we are not even seeking war with the US and West either, because we are a peace-seeking nation; yet, we do not accept to become Westernized and be inclined towards the West since we bear an Iranian and Islamic identity and we are proud of it,\" Daneshjou said. He reminded that several Iranian scientists have so far been assassinated by the Zionist regime, but underlined that \"our nation does not allow its Islamic-Iranian identity to be harmed\". Political observers believe that the West has remained at loggerheads with Iran mainly over the independent and home-grown nature of Tehran\'s nuclear technology, which gives the Islamic Republic the potential to turn into a world power and a role model for the other third-world countries. Washington has laid much pressure on Iran to make it give up the most sensitive and advanced part of the technology, which is uranium enrichment, a process used for producing nuclear fuel for power plants. Iran has so far ruled out halting or limiting its nuclear work in exchange for trade and other incentives, saying that renouncing its rights under the NPT would encourage the world powers to put further pressure on the country and would not lead to a change in the West\'s hardline stance on Tehran.