TEHRAN -- Sanctions and threats against the Islamic Republic of Iran are in fact an opportunity to encourage creativity and develop national potential in science and technology, said the Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani here Wednesday.

He made the remarks in a meeting with University Jihad Organization officials, adding the organization should develop technological and industrial expertise to compensate the harm done by the sanctions to the country. He expressed satisfaction over the organization’s activities in the fields of science, technology, education and culture, and maintained that it is according to the spirit of the revolution. Rafsanjani called University Jihad a scientific and revolutionary organization and underlined the need for further cooperation between the organization and the Expediency Council