TEHRAN -- Substitute leader of Tehran Friday prayers Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani called for efforts to reduce tension in the country while calling on officials to try to create better living conditions for the young population of Iran.

Expressing concern over the fact that the tug-of-war between the political camps could lead to increased tension and to an unpleasant atmosphere in the country, he said steps should be undertaken to alleviate tension in the country.

Addressing thousands of worshipers gathered at the Teheran University campus for the weekly congregational prayers, Ayatollah Kashani said the tense situation due to the increased political tension would hamper efforts by the authorities to deal with the problems facing the nation. Commenting on the high and lofty culture of the Iranian people, the Ayatollah said, "Iran has a young and energetic generation that is quite ready for undertaking efforts to press for progress."

He referred to the faulty structures of families and inter-personal relationship in the Western countries and said the Iranian society is a healthy one even though there might be limited cases of immorality and depravity in the Iranian society too.

He called on officials to meet the needs of the young generation as he focused on efforts to generate jobs and provide grounds for the youth to get married.

He said appropriate grounds for the youth would prevent them falling prey to any form of depravity and corruption or the cultural invasion by enemies of Islam.

He urged officials to adopt proper measures to deal with the rampant unemployment problems in the country and said effective mechanisms should be created to deal with the unemployment.

Press reports said earlier about 3.5 million people of the active population are currently out of job in Iran. At least 5.5 million high-school graduates would join the jobless within the next four years to increase the unemployment rate to 24 percent.

The inactive population comprises 13 million students under 10 years of age, 13 million housewives and 1-3 million retired. Iran has, with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the International Labor Organization (ILO), launched a new job creation initiative to tackle unemployment in the country.

Ayatollah Kashani commented on efforts by the government on the occasion of the Government Week and marked the memory of Rajaei and Bahonar, two prominent Iranian officials martyred in the early years of the Islamic Revolution, IRNA reported.

He called on the people and officials to act based on the religious faith as a way to be in a position to neutralize the enemies' evil schemes against Iran and Islam.

Ayatollah Kashani said the political camps and factions in the country should respect principles of the national unity and solidarity and, in particular, consider the valuable directive of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Aayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in this regard.