TEHRAN -- In the presence of the Leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the Employment Supreme Council held a meeting to evaluate the government's programs for creating employment opportunities and

Ayatollah Khamenei expressed satisfaction with the efforts of President Seyed Mohammad Khatami and the Employment Supreme Council to solve the unemployment problem and said the battle against unemploy

Ayatollah Khamenei spoke of perseverance and close supervision as the vital prerequisites to success in job creation programs, and added that making decisions and planning programs are necessary but n

He said through close supervision all pertinent government organizations can be activated in job-creation programs.

Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the availability of financial resources as a significant factor in creating jobs, but reminded that money is not the solution to the unemployment problem. He said i

With regard to some delays in the implementation of some articles on employment in the Third Five-Year Development Plan, Ayatollah Khamenei added that all the ministries and organizations should inves

Ayatollah Khamenei also said that correct management has a significant role in the use of current facilities and stressed that an all-out drive should be pursued against economic corruption which is d

The fight against economic corruption will not lead to any satisfactory result unless there is no let-up in the battle and the government is vigilant, said Ayatollah Khamenei, adding that the governme

Further in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei called for the acceleration of national programs and pointed to the necessity for having continuous supervision on the way government funds are spent. He sai

He said more attention should be paid to the cooperative sector as it is crucial in job creation.

Referring to the need to shore up domestic industries, he said the issue of imports should not influence the workings of these industries.

Stressing the need to serious encounter goods smuggling, the Leader said smuggling will continue to make goods expensive unless something is done to curtail this illegal activity.