Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei made the remarks in a message to a meeting of officials in charge of prayers affairs and promotion of worship in society on Saturday.

He attached great importance to prayers. "It is like the soul for the organs of the human body or like the air (oxygen) compared to other material needs of the human being."

The Leader said that saying prayers is more important than the other forms of worship to God and it has priority over others.

"Promoting prayers among the young generation is the key to expanding this divine blessing and enhancing it to its right place," Ayatollah Khamenei further said.