In this meeting, Ali Agha-Mohammadi, Head of the Economic Group of the Office of the Supreme Leader and non-ex officio member of the Expediency Discernment Council of the System, served as the scientific chair of the meeting. Additionally, Saeed Shovalpour, a faculty member at Iran University of Science and Technology, and Nasrollah Jahangard, an expert in information technology and former Head of the Information Technology Organization of Iran, participated as keynote speakers, presenting their viewpoints.

At the beginning of the meeting, Mehdi Razpour, Head of the Education Group of the CDRF and the secretary of the meeting, stated that technology development holds a highly significant and vital position in the future vision of nations, as it is recognized as one of the key drivers of economic growth, improved quality of life, and social advancement.

The Head of the Education Group of the CDRF added that, in the modern world, all aspects of human life will be influenced by technological advancements. In other words, progress in many fields is virtually impossible without technology. In a future marked by rapid changes in technology, information, and communications, nations must position technology as a fundamental pillar in their civil planning in order to remain competitive on the global stage. For instance, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, blockchain, and robotics will contribute to shaping new models of business and production, thereby defining the future of global economic competitiveness. These transformations have the potential to increase productivity, reduce costs, and create new jobs in emerging industries.

Mehdi Razpour added that in order to achieve balanced development in the future, policymakers and key stakeholders must seriously prioritize technology development and place strategic planning and investment in this area at the forefront of their agendas. Therefore, this meeting aims to address the role of technology in shaping Iran’s future vision through the contributions of invited speakers.

As the meeting proceeded, Nasrollah Jahangard, an expert in information technology and former Head of the Information Technology Organization, as the main speaker, stated: “In shaping the future of technology, the first question we must address is: where do we currently stand?”

He continued by stating that the formulation of strategic plans in the field of technology has been underway among nations for more than five decades. Such programs, including models like STEEP—adopted globally since the 1970s—encompass various dimensions such as economic, social, political, technological, value-based, and cultural ecology aspects.

Regarding executive instances of foresight studies, Nasrollah Jahangard added that in the recent decade, the United Kingdom conducted extensive studies with the support of global consulting firms to identify the gaps contributing to its declining share in the global market. The findings revealed that the UK had fallen behind due to weaknesses in the technological content of its products compared to competitors. As a result, a new institution, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), was established to address this deficiency. Under this department, two key centers were created: the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and the Hartree Centre, a strategic advisory center focused on the application of artificial intelligence and big data analytics to develop innovative solutions aimed at enhancing all sectors of industry and services in the UK. These initiatives were launched in collaboration with IBM. Additionally, beginning last year, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have requested IBM to implement similar programs in their respective countries.

He also addressed the social and political impacts of the internet, highlighting issues such as increased isolation, reduction of distances, strengthening of businesses, diminished privacy, the creation of information, and widespread access to information. He stated that fields such as information and communication technology, robotics and humanoid systems, biotechnology and bioinformatics, nanotechnology, the emergence of electric vehicles, and data-driven governance are among the areas that have the potential to bring transformative changes to the science and technology industry.

The former Head of the Information Technology Organization further stated that we must initiate change and transformation in infrastructure, organizational structures, processes, and governance. Iran’s administrative and industrial structures, among others, need to be reformed; otherwise, without understanding and implementing these changes, we will remain stagnant. It is essential to equip the new generation with the necessary skills and engage in precise future planning for Iran to enhance the position and legitimacy of existing stakeholders.

Later in the meeting, Saeed Shovalpour, a faculty member at Iran University of Science and Technology and the second main speaker, discussed the subject of technology and its growing importance in recent years. He noted that just as the advent of information technology in 1990 brought about a major global transformation, today, with the integration of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, we can expect another significant shift on the world stage.

He continued by stating that from an economic perspective, it is essential first to analyze the current situation. Only when technological innovation manifests itself in the circulation of economic capital can we truly speak of technology-driven economic transformation. There are multiple indicators used to measure the impact of technology on the economy, one of which is the Economic Complexity Index (ECI). This index assesses both the diversity of exports and the extent to which exported products incorporate domestically added knowledge content.

Saeed Shovalpour added that over the past decade, Iran’s exports of knowledge-based products have increased, partly due to a reduced dependence on oil exports. The positive news is that Iran still holds a hopeful position in the region according to the ECI, provided that it can actively participate in export markets and reinvest the revenues generated from these exports to further diversify technology and expand export activities.

He noted, however, that the situation regarding imports in Iran differs from that of exports, with a greater diversity observed in imported goods. This indicates that in Iran, imports are utilized more for civil consumption rather than for enhancing exports. In other words, while technological diversity in products has occurred in line with international conditions, this diversity is reflected in consumption rather than in output or export.

The faculty member of Iran University of Science and Technology further stated that technology will hold significance in Iran only when its impact becomes observable in economic indicators and outputs. To effectively operate based on emerging technologies in the future vision, we must move away from traditional structures, institutions, and regulations that hinder technological development and transition towards new institutional frameworks. In essence, technological development must lead to institutional development, which in turn will further drive technological advancement.

As the meeting proceeded, Ali Agha-Mohammadi, Head of the Economic Group of the Office of the Supreme Leader and non-ex officio member of the Expediency Discernment Council of the System, serving as the scientific chair of the meeting, stated that in technology development, sociological factors must also be taken into account. He emphasized that if change is to occur, it must be accompanied by social learning and education to foster a collective social belief in change. Therefore, any change within society is impossible without engaging the community in the process, as society is capable of learning and must be educated about the changes.

He emphasized that we must analyze the current situation to understand how to implement change in society, and by communicating the nature and form of the change with the community, we can engage society in the process of reform and transformation.

In the proceedings of the meeting, the experts and specialists expressed their viewpoints and posed their questions.

It is noteworthy that this meeting was held on January 28, 2025, both in-person and virtually, with the participation of national and provincial executive agencies, universities, research centers, and think tanks, at the Hossein Azimi Hall located in the CDRF.