Actually nation of 5,923,500...
Hmm lets see what that nation that survives on charity achieved throughout its pitiful 64 years of existence, Israeli:
Clay Research Award-1
Fields Medal-1
Turing Award-4
Nobel laureates-10
Wolf Prize-19
and the list go on.
With a little to none of natural resources, CIA facktbook:
Industries:
high-technology products (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals products, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles, footwear
Export
machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel
.........................................................................
Iran with huge amount of oil(4th largest) and gas:
Industries:
petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and non-ferrous metal fabrication, armaments
Export:
petroleum
80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts,
carpets carpets
Iran progress just like many other countries, nothing special, the progress of Iran is national, on international arena Iranian achievements are insignificant.