Over the past four-plus decades, despite the conspiracies and obstacles created by enemies through the 8-year long imposed war, the sanctions, and maximum pressure, Iranians, especially the youth, have made numerous achievements in the fields of science and technology, agriculture and industry, nanotechnology, defense technologies, and security-related areas, bringing greater self-sufficiency to the country, and turning threats and restrictions into opportunities for prosperity. Statistics and figures from reputable international institutions indicate Iran's all-round progress and development, especially in the fields of science and technology. More than a thousand Iranian scholars are among the world’s top 1% most-cited researchers in 2024, which indicates a 12% increase compared to the previous year. Iran is among the leading countries in the field of satellite and launch vehicle technology in the world. Iran's global share in scientific production is about 2 percent, and in this respect it ranks 16th among the countries in the world. In the field of medicine, the most complex surgeries and treatments are performed by Iranian specialists within the country, which has made Iran a medical hub in West Asia and a medical tourism destination for nationals of various countries in the region. In the latest Global Innovation Index report in 2024, Iran ranked 64th among 133 economies around the world. The total number of Iranian researchers in major fields of science is 1,056. Iran has always emphasized on de-escalating tensions and ensuring regional and global security, combating terrorism, and resolving disputes and crises through peaceful means. Based on the guidelines of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Iran's foreign policy is anchored in three fixed principles: dignity, wisdom, and expediency; and within this framework, Iran pursues active and dynamic diplomacy with all friendly and aligned countries. Prior to 1979, Iran had limited relations with the African continent. However, after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the Iranian government held Africa in special regard and developed diplomatic relations with the countries of this continent. In fact, the Republic of Sierra Leone was among the first African countries with which we established official diplomatic relations after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, which began with the establishment of our Embassy in Freetown in 1982. Over the past year, the Islamic Republic of Iran has had constructive cooperation with the Republic of Sierra Leone at the bilateral level as well as within the framework of the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. In order to help realize Sierra Leone’s national development programs, especially human capital development, which is one of President Maada Bio’s Big 5 Game Changers, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, through its embassy in Freetown, launched an initiative to provide fully-funded scholarships to Sierra Leonean students. This was the first time that the Government of Iran offered a scholarship program of this scale to Sierra Leonean youth, and this initiative is rooted in the long-standing friendship between the two nations and will continue in the future. The fields of study were selected based on the potentials and the needs of the Sierra Leonean society, including general medicine, pharmacy, dental surgery, medical laboratory sciences, midwifery, radiology, chemical engineering, mining engineering, agricultural engineering, industrial engineering, metallurgy and materials engineering, and international relations. This initiative paves the way for the educational advancement of Sierra Leonean students and enables them to make a significant contribution to the future development and progress of their homeland and compatriots upon completing their education. These students will always bear the title of permanent ambassadors of Iran to Sierra Leone in the future. The Islamic Republic of Iran stands ready to cooperate towards achieving other national development goals within the framework of the Big 5 Game Changers put forward by the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone, including in the fields of Technology and Infrastructure Programs and also Feed Salone.