Iran's Rapid Progress After Revolution

Islamic Republic of Iran is one of those few countries that have traversed a long journey of progress and efficiency in a small period. Previously this country was regarded a backward country of the Third World. According to survey, from 2003 to 2005 Iran was ranked 44th out of 139 in the field of science and technology. Iran was at No 2 out of the 23 countries in the region, which include South Asia, Middle East, Central Asia, Coastal Countries of Persian Gulf, and Caucasian states.
In the cultural field Iran was No 2 among these countries and at the international level it was ranked 26th. With regard to military strength Iran is third in the region and at the international level is ranked the 13th country.

Prominent Advancement
Before the prominent advancement in space activities during the last two years Iran was at No 27 out of 39 countries with regard to space technology, whereas presently Iran has become the 11th member of the international space club. In this way a review of Iran's development in some fields can be seen.
After the revolution, the opinion of public was given importance and national matters were disposed off through self determination. Therefore, after a passage of thirty years in Iran, on the average, every year one stage of election is held. In these, worth mentioning are the presidential elections, parliamentary elections, local bodies elections and elections of council of experts (Majlis Khabargaan) for electing a guide.

Rising International Power
However, during the imperial era the leadership of the country was in the hands of one dictator king and ministers of cabinet were not the elected representatives of people. After the fall of Eastern bloc of former Soviet Union presently the Islamic revolution has come forward as a rising international power in confrontation to the Western Capitalistic system whose leader is the United States. Therefore, Islamic Republic of Iran and forces supporting Iran are obstacles to the new US plans in Middle East.
The development and progress of Iran in the field of science is being reckoned as an important success attained after the revolution. Thus, presently the scientists and researchers of Iran are being reckoned as top ranked scientists in the world. In the field of preparation of atomic fuel, Iran has become the world's fifth country. The prominent successes in the atomic field are the complete acquisition of atomic fuel technology, the large UCF complex in Isfahan, the uranium reprocessing installations at Natanz and the construction of heavy water project at Erac.
With respect to scientific research, Iran is included in the world's five important Islamic countries. Iran has made prominent advancements in Laser technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology, micro technology, and genes technology.
In the last few years Iran has made astonishing progress in the fields of computer software, hardware, and robot. Iran has many a times attained positions in robot making and robots in the international competitions.
Iranian male and female students have attained prominent positions in many international scientific competitions. They include mathematics, chemistry, physics, and computer Olympiads. The attainment of fist position in scientific inventions competition at Switzerland and second position in the competition of inventions and scientific revelation at Moscow are great work to be proud of.
Therefore, from the success of revolution to 2002, 500 inventions have been made. However, in August 2006, the leader of Islamic revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseyni-Khamene'i stressed on further efforts in the field of sciences especially the compilation of scientific program in the country and creation of a revolution in software technology. After this in 2007, the number of inventions astonishingly reached up to 6,000.

Scientific Invention Research Sector
In 2007, in the scientific invention research sector, Iran became Asia's fifth and region's first country. They include the advancements in the fields of mathematics, mechanical, chemistry, engineering, nanotechnology, and medical which are worth mentioning.
Iran is ranked the world's 12th country in mathematics, 13th in the field of computer, 17th in the field of mechanical, 18th in the field of Chemistry, and 12th country in the field of nanotechnology. This matter is specially worth mentioning that in the field of nanotechnology, Iran has attained a prominent position among the Islamic countries.
In the past few years there has been an increase of 92 per cent seats in the Iranian universities. Before the revolution the number of male and female students in the universities was only 200,000, whereas after the revolution this number has increased to 1.3 million. This rate of progress is equivalent to developed industrial countries that is at the ratio of 3000 students to 100000 people.
Presently there are a large number of foreign male and female students studying in reputed educational institutions of Iran. There is an increase in the construction of schools after the revolution. Accordingly in the first 12 years of the revolution a total of 30,000 schools were constructed that despite during this period Iran Iraq war continued, whereas during fifty years of the Pehlavi era, a total of 47,000 schools were constructed.
At the time of Iranian revolution the rate of literacy was 30 percent whereas presently more then 80 percent of people are literate. Iran has been given numerous international awards in the field of spreading education. After the revolution Iran has made amazing progress in the medical field, whereas before the revolution it was backward.

Import-Export
With regard to medical treatment and medicine At present, Iran is self-sufficient and is included in the list of important countries providing medical services and manufacturing medicines. Ninety-five percent of the 4,000 medicines required for the country's need are being produced in Iran. In 1986, after the revolution medicines worth $70 million were exported.
In the last few years Iranian experts have produced such medicines which have been invented for the first time or their production was a monopoly of very few countries. Iran has acquired the ability of basic biological cells grafting and freezing technology which is in possession of only nine countries. With regard to producing biomedical goods Iran is ranked third in the world. Similarly, Iran is now included in the important countries for heart, eyes and kidney grafting.
Before the revolution, 50 operations of kidney transplantation had been carried out in the country whereas after the revolution this number has risen to 17,000. Iranian researchers have discovered treatment for aids. Similarly for the treatment of eyes, Iran has made a major advancement.

Industrial Sector
The United Nations has presented an award to Iran for population control. Iran, like other fields has made a significant progress in the industrial field. After the revolution many industries were set up for the first time whereas prior to the revolution mostly foreign goods were assembled. Presently helicopters and aircrafts are being manufactured in Iran. These also include passenger aircraft Iran-140, which by all standards is considered to be a most modern aircraft.
The ship manufacturing industry has been promoted. The vehicle manufacturing industry developed significantly and various types of buses, cars, tractors, trucks etc are being manufactured. In Erac, Sheraz, Tabrez, Bandar Abbas, Isfahan, and in North very large petrochemical complexes and oil refineries have been set up. At the beginning of the revolution production of petrochemical goods was 2 million tons, whereas in 2008 it increased to 22 million tons and the target fixed for the next year was 35 million tons.

Revolution in Field of Oil and Gas
After the revolution in the field of oil and gas, 40 large factories were set up. In Bushahr, the first atomic power plant was set up. In Ardbeel a power plant operated through underground energy and at various places power plants operated through air, gas and oil have been set up. Accordingly Iran has become self sufficient in power production and power is being exported to various countries.
Iran has also offered to supply 100 MW of power to Pakistan to end power cut. In their industries like household goods, industrial and construction material, electrical goods, nutritional goods etc, there has been an increase in factories. There has been a very major increase in steel and iron production. Thus, by 2013 Iran will be included in the big countries exporting steel goods.

Constructing Dams
Iran has made progress in the technology of constructing dams and is ranked 14th in the world in this regard. Iran is cooperating with different countries to plan for construction of dams which include construction, research and studies matters. Similarly, Iran has progressed in the field of construction of roads and bridges.
In the field of military hardware production, Iran has made significant progress. Iran has started manufacturing Zulfiqar tanks, missiles of different ranges particularly long-range Shahab missiles, most modern guided laser bombs, the world's fastest torpedo and most modern heavy armaments.