According to the Communication and Information Center in the Vice Presidency of Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, the first conference of Afghan elites was held this morning, in the presence of Hossein Afshin, Vice President of Science, Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Mehdi Imanipour, Head of the Islamic Culture and Communications Organization, Hossein Roozbeh, Head of the Organization for the Development of International Scientific and Technological Cooperation, and a group of Afghan academics, elites, and technologists at the Pardis Technology Park.

Joint Cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan Relying on the Cultural and Historical Commonalities of the Two Nations

At this ceremony, the Vice President of Science stated that borders cannot limit the elites, and said: Here I stand, in front of you, the elites of Afghanistan. In front of minds that no border can confine. In front of talents that came with history, but were born for the future. And here, at this very moment, not in a distant past, but today, something is taking shape, a future that no longer sees "Iran" and "Afghanistan" as separate.

Afshin, referring to the deep-rooted commonalities of the culture and history of the two countries, stated: We are a nation that has grown from one root, with one language, one history, one culture. We are the children of Ferdowsi, Bidel, and Rumi.

The head of the National Elites Foundation continued: Borders are something that is drawn on maps. But what has bound us together has been engraved in our souls and souls for a thousand years. From Kabul to Tehran, from Balkh to Mashhad, we share the same fate, speak the same language, think the same way, and have the same future.

Supporting the establishment of knowledge-based companies and the scientific and technological role of Afghan elites

The Vice President of Science, stating that supporting the education of Afghan children in Iran was a decision not out of pity but out of understanding, continued: The Supreme Leader of the Revolution ordered that Afghan children should study in Iranian schools without worries, without borders, and any differences because the elites cannot be confined to walls. Because the future of both countries is meaningless without considering the future of the other.

Afshin, referring to Iran's support for innovation, technology, and the formation of knowledge-based companies, academics, elites, and research collaborations, said: "We support academics, elites, knowledge-based companies, and major technological projects that will transform Iran and Afghanistan into a common scientific ecosystem."

National Elites Foundation of Iran supports cooperation

The head of the National Elites Foundation, referring to the possibility of registering Afghan knowledge-based companies in Iran, said: Iranian universities are open to Afghans for education, not only for education but also for teaching, research and innovation. Also, Afghan knowledge-based companies can be registered in Iran, develop, attract capital and move the boundaries of technology.

Stating that Afghan elites are no longer immigrants but are part of Iran's technology and innovation ecosystem, he continued: "As the Vice President of Science, my first responsibility is to support Iran's elites. This is an unquestionable commitment. Our mission is to nurture Iranian talents, pave the way for their progress, and turn Iran into a launching pad for its elites. This is our first duty, and we will not fail in that for a moment."

The head of the National Elites Foundation, stating that knowledge is not limited to political borders, said: "Progress does not happen in isolation. No country has reached the peak of science by building a wall around itself. What is important today is synergy and we must connect with the elites." He added: "Afghanistan is not just a neighbor, but an opportunity to build a common scientific and technological ecosystem, in which Iranian and Afghan elites work side by side."

Afshin stated that Iranian and Afghan elites, by coming together, can shape the future of the two countries, adding: "We do not want to just narrate the past, but rather we are building the future, and the future is for those who dare to think and the courage to create."

It is worth mentioning that the first Afghan Elites Conference is being held with the support of the Vice Presidency of Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, at the invitation of the International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Development Organization of the Vice-President for Science, to exchange innovative ideas, explaining scientific solutions, and creating a platform for interaction between Afghan elites and Iranian knowledge-based companies