Modern wafer & silicon fabrication is an amazing feat of engineering. I've often thought that this technology would be an ideal venture for the oil-rich OPEC nations as something to sustain them in the future. The oil won't last forever... if I was king, I'd roll all those petro-dollars into creating a world-class semiconductor industry in my country.




However, Iran has THE fastest advancing science in the World, and 50% of it is focused on defensive projects, with almost limitless funds. Considering that, its bound to give some fruits, some ripe, some not (yet).