TEHRAN – Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has stressed that the country must press ahead with the development of advanced science and technology regardless of political and security conditions, saying that confrontation with adversaries will continue whether peace is achieved or not.

“Whether peace is achieved or not, the path of confrontation with the enemy will continue. We must therefore pursue the development of advanced technologies with even greater determination to ensure that we maintain the upper hand,” Aref said on Tuesday.

He made the remarks during a visit to knowledge-based companies operating at the Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology, followed by a meeting with the heads of the country’s national research institutes.

Aref described science and technology as strategic pillars of Iran’s defense capabilities and deterrence, noting that the two recent wars imposed on the country by the United States and the Israeli regime had demonstrated the importance of long-term investment in advanced technologies.

He identified preserving and strengthening the country’s scientific achievements, enhancing the standing of research institutes, making up for delays in meeting the objectives of the national Vision Document, and drawing on the capabilities of the country’s talented specialists as key priorities for the current administration.

Referring to the late Leader of the Islamic Revolution’s emphasis on prioritizing the aerospace industry, Aref said recent developments had made clear why the industry had been accorded such strategic importance.

“We are not seeking war, but we know how to defend ourselves effectively,” he said.

The first vice president underscored that Iran must continue advancing its scientific and technological capabilities, irrespective of domestic circumstances or the international environment, in order to maintain a strong defense posture and effective deterrence.