The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has emphasized on many occasions the importance and priority that must be given to creation of jobs and employment for the youth of the country. President Khatami has also made the creation of more jobs a top priority of his economic plans for the forthcoming year.

Almost all experts have emphasized the importance of production and full employment as major ingredients of a healthy economy. But unfortunately there are almost daily reports of unpaid workers on the streets blocking roads demanding back payments. Some claim they have not been paid for almost a year. Many factories are working at less than half of their full capacity and laying off workers. And the young people of the country are finding it almost impossible to find jobs.

Although some ministers and high-ranking officials continually echo the directives of the Leader and the president, nothing tangible is done in reality and every day the economic problems become even more acute. The Labor House recently announced that it was ready to solve the problems of factory workers. Everyone seems to be ready to do something but nothing concrete is done in reality.

One of the most important aspects of the Leader's guidelines regarding national sovereignty is creating a nation with no unemployed citizen, where all people enjoy a secure income and social welfare.

Today our nation enjoys freedom and has a democratic system. Yet, the politicians -- in the executive and the Majlis and their party offices -- are involved in factional fighting, ignoring the basic problems of the people.

The politicians should bear in mind that they would do a great disservice to our Islamic Revolution if they should disappoint the people, who have made great sacrifices to establish the Islamic Republic.

It is the duty of officials to pay due respect to the people and stop rendering them mere lip service through empty slogans. Instead, they should take some concrete measures to make the country more developed and prosperous.

As the first step toward achieving this objective, the officials belonging to all factions should set aside their factional differences, give priority to national interests and strive to eradicate unemployment and poverty from society.