ICT Minister praises martyred Leader’s vision on AI, cyberspace

He made the statement in an article in the Special Issue of the Tehran-based Iran Newspaper on Sunday elaborating on the late Leader’s vision on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

“From the totality of the guidance and directives of the architect of future governance, it is abundantly clear that, in his view, cyberspace, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies were not merely technical subjects, but pillars of national power, independence, progress, and the civilizational future of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“It is a perspective that today, more than ever before, places an even greater responsibility upon all of us,” Hashemi wrote, praising the lofty views of the leader who was martyred by the Israeli-US military aggression on February 28.

The full text of the ICT minister’s article follows:

“In these days, as the Islamic Republic of Iran and other freedom-loving people around the world mourn the loss of the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution, writing about him is not merely the fulfillment of a duty for me; it is the expression of the longing of a student who considers himself indebted to the thought, foresight, and guidance of a profound teacher who, with exceptional insight, saw the horizon of the future more clearly than others.

Today, I not only feel the loss of a great leader, but also, as a government official, I see upon my shoulders the heavy responsibility embodied in the guidance, directives, and forward-looking vision that the departed beloved left as a legacy for all the country's officials.

Therefore, in these bitter days of farewell, I consider it my duty to once again review his statements and guidance, so that especially the younger generation may be reminded of the profound, affirmative, and civilization-building perspective that the wise leader held toward emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and particularly cyberspace—a perspective that today, more than ever before, can illuminate the path toward the future of our beloved Iran.

Cyberspace: An Arena for Future-Building 

“If I were not the Leader of the Revolution today, I would certainly become the head of the country’s cyberspace.”

This enduring statement is one of the deepest and most strategic remarks of the martyred Imam regarding cyberspace, serving as compelling evidence that he regarded cyberspace as one of the most important arenas shaping the future of the country and the world.

In his intellectual framework, cyberspace was not merely a collection of communications or technological tools; rather, it was an arena in which the culture, economy, education, security, science, media, public opinion, and lifestyles of nations are shaped and through which the future of countries is increasingly determined. It was from this perspective that he repeatedly emphasized the importance of this field as one of the country's fundamental issues and regarded it as part of the real life of society.

If today we examine this guidance more deeply, we realize that this historic statement was less about a managerial position than about the priority of a decisive arena—an arena in which the future of the Islamic Republic of Iran depends on intelligent governance, proper utilization of its capacities, and safeguarding national interests.

Smart Governance: Essence of Martyred Leader’s Guidance

In a significant portion of the statements and directives of the wise jurisprudent, cyberspace was viewed through an opportunity-oriented lens. He consistently described this arena as a platform for increasing public awareness, deepening insight, strengthening communications, advancing scientific development, and enhancing the country's soft power, while at the same time warning against leaving it unmanaged or surrendering its administration to the will of external actors.

His repeated emphasis on establishing the National Information Network, fostering coordination among responsible institutions, accurately implementing sound policies, and exercising national sovereignty over the country's communications infrastructure constituted the components of a comprehensive framework for smart governance in cyberspace. In this perspective, managing cyberspace never meant restricting its capacities; rather, it guaranteed independence, security, sustainability, and the maximum utilization of the opportunities this arena offers to the people and the country.

Alongside this perspective, his exceptional foresight regarding developments in this field was always prominent. Years before recent wars and threats became evident in their broad dimensions, he warned about the dangers of cognitive warfare, relinquishing data governance, neglecting the needs of audiences and public opinion, infrastructure dependency, and emerging cyber threats, while emphasizing future studies, continuous monitoring, and long-term planning.

Indeed, today the experience of hybrid and cognitive warfare has revealed the depth of that wise perspective more clearly than ever before.

Alongside all these dimensions, the “place of the human being” always held a prominent position in the horizon of his thought. In the guidance of the standard-bearer of wisdom and dignity, technology is valuable only when it serves human development, strengthens the family, promotes the mental well-being of the younger generation, expands public morality, safeguards cultural identity, and enhances the quality of life in society. From this perspective, technological development without attention to human and cultural capital can never constitute complete or lasting development.

AI: A New Chapter in Country’s Scientific Strength

In recent years, the martyred leader’s guidance regarding artificial intelligence has been a natural extension of his strategic perspective on cyberspace. In his far-sighted statements, artificial intelligence was presented not merely as an emerging technology, but as one of the most important components of national power and one of the determining factors in the future of the world.

He repeatedly stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran should not remain merely a consumer or user of this technology, but must, by relying on the capabilities of its elites, universities, and scientific centers, gain access to its foundational and deeper layers. This is because the future of this technology will be an arena of competition among powers, and dependency in this field will also result in dependency in shaping the future decision-making of countries.

From this perspective, his firm directive that Iran should rank among the leading countries, empower elites, avoid negligence in this global competition, and engage actively and effectively with developments in this field constitutes the components of a coherent strategy for preserving the country's scientific and technological strength.

Therefore, in the intellectual horizon of the esteemed martyr, artificial intelligence is not merely a technology; rather, it is an open arena for improving governance, increasing efficiency, advancing scientific development, strengthening national power, and safeguarding the future independence of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Creative and active engagement in this field is a responsibility that today rests more heavily than ever upon all managers, academics, researchers, and participants in the country's technology ecosystem.

Role of Science and Technology in National Strength

In the guidance and directives of the learned jurisprudent, science was never defined as an isolated objective. He consistently emphasized the integrated connection among scientific production, research, technology, industry, innovation, and wealth creation, and regarded the country's progress as dependent upon completing this chain.

In the martyred leader’s view, scientific strength becomes lasting only when it serves the resolution of society’s real problems, the development of strategic technologies, the strengthening of knowledge-based companies, the expansion of national production, and the creation of value through knowledge. Accordingly, supporting elites, directing research toward defined goals, and transforming scientific achievements into value-creating products and services always ranked among his strategic demands.

Today, as the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies have become the driving forces of national development, the depth and value of this guidance have become even more significant. For those of us who have the honor of serving in the field of information and communications technology, they constitute a clear roadmap for advancing along the path of technological strength and the progress of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Pledge to Continue Leader’s Path

From the totality of the guidance and directives of the architect of future governance, it is abundantly clear that, in his view, cyberspace, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies were not merely technical subjects, but pillars of national power, independence, progress, and the civilizational future of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

It is a perspective that today, more than ever before, places an even greater responsibility upon all of us.

My martyred master and leader! Today, in the position from which I have the honor of serving the people, I feel more than ever the weight of the trust that your wise guidance has placed upon our shoulders.

At this juncture, I once again pledge before your noble spirit that as long as I live, I will regard service in pursuit of your ideals, directives, and guidance not merely as an executive responsibility, but as a sacred trust, and I will devote all my strength to continuing this path, God willing.”