Iran's Nano Chief Downplays Effects of Western Sanctions

Dr. Saeed Sarkar, the secretary-general of Iran's Nanotechnology Initiative Council (INIC), played down the effects of the western sanctions against Iran, and said pressures and embargos have rather harmed those states which have sponsored them. "Sanctions will be a thorn in our enemies' eye," Sarkar said, addressing participants in a ceremony to unveil Iran's new nano products. He further pointed to sanctions on trade of hi-tech with Iran and INIC's plan to thwart the impacts of such moves, and said, "So far, 24 knowledge-based companies have been activated and focused on laboratory equipment. These companies have managed to manufacture about 30 advanced nanotechnology systems in the country." He reiterated that sanctions will ultimately be a thorn in the flesh of Iran's enemies, and stated that sanctions have pushed Iran forward and helped it indigenize technologies. "This movement towards the national production of hi-tech goods and services would break the monopoly of the industrial countries over the market of hi-tech products," he added. We do our best to promote Iran's world ranking in all nanotechnology fields and it is our dream to play a decisive role in global levels in this field. To this end, we need to support our scientists and researchers when they are in action more than before," Sarkar concluded.