In a meeting with chancellors of universities and heads of centers of science and technology, President Khatami said that Islam advocated by late Imam Khomeini calls for recognizing national interests and international criteria and "saving ourselves from the crisis created by others."

"It is not right to welcome crisis with wrong behavior. We are expected to secure our national interests by avoiding crisis," President Khatami said.

"In the past eight years, we have worked hard to say that Islam is not against freedom, progress and development."

"What is being introduced in the name of Islam in other parts of the world is nothing more than violence and backwardness. It is diversion from the true path of Islam. Such methodology has given excuse to those who want to misportray truth as falsehood," President Khatami said.

"We should prove that Islam the late Imam Khomeini advocated is contrary to the Islam of Taliban and al-Qaeda," he said.

President Khatami said, "We should identify the enemy and defend our own values and not to retreat from our criteria or welcome crisis either."

"I'm sure that the next government will consider importance of science in the society. If you agree that science and research are the basis of the society, contribution to this sector is equal to boosting prestige and strength of the Islamic republic."

He said that the 20-year vision plan for economic, cultural and social development is the national document for development.

"The next government to be presided over by an academic well knows the importance of science and research and God willing will move in that direction," he said.

He said that the Iranian society is on a transition from outdated system to a system compatible with dignity of human being, the transition which began with victory of the Islamic Revolution.

President Khatami said that the enemies make every effort to obstruct the progress of Iran.

"I always wanted science and research to have high status in the society and called for non-interference of forces from outside in the affairs of universities. I believe the disciplinary committees of universities are the only organs which should deal with violations, of course with maximum tolerance," President Khatami said.

(IRIB)