TEHRAN – In the first six months of the current Iranian year, which started on March 21, a total of 228,860 marriages and 89,851 divorces were registered across the country, according to the Civil Registration Organization.

Of the total number of marriages registered in the first six months of this year, the most are related to the provinces of Tehran with 28,273 cases, Khorasan Razavi with 22,026 cases, and Khuzestan with 16,994 cases, IRIB reported.

Out of the registered marriages, 755 cases were over the age of 80, out of which 738 were men and 17 were women.

The highest number of divorces registered in the country was related to the same provinces, including Tehran with 15,206 cases, Khorasan Razavi with 9.321 cases, and Khuzestan with 5,519 cases. Also, at the same time, Ilam province registered 453 marriages, the lowest in the country.

Marriage rates were highest at ages 19 to 21 for women, and ages 25 to 27 for men. The highest number of divorced women was 34 to 36, and men were 35 to 40 years old.

Compared to the same period last year, the number of marriages and divorces has decreased by four percent and 3.5 percent,  respectively.

Youth population law

Enacting the youth population law has stabilized the total fertility rate, slightly increasing the general fertility index over the past two years. After experiencing seven years of decline by about 20 percent, the fertility rate is now stabilized at around 1.6.

The total fertility rate has experienced a sharp decline since the Iranian calendar year 1394 (2015-2016), as the number of births reached 1.057 million in 1402 (2023-2024) from 1.570 million in 1394.  However, since the Iranian calendar year 1401 (March 2022–March 2023), the downward trend in fertility came to a halt.

However, it has intensified concerns over the decreasing trend in population growth in the coming years, and the probability of turning Iran into one of the oldest countries in the world, IRIB quoted Mohammad-Javad Mahmoudi, an official with the Civil Registration Organization, as saying.

“At best, Iran’s population with a total fertility rate of 2.5 will reach 102,890,000 by the next seven years,” Mahmoudi said.

An important factor contributing to lower birth rates in the country is the cost of living. Indeed, due to the high inflation rate and the expensive real estate sector, many families are choosing to have a smaller family size. The current one-child trend is prevalent in many young Iranian families, many of whom also have to support their aging parents.

Due to the financial constraints, late marriage is another new trend. Delayed marriage, along with extended intervals between childbirth, is another factor.

Many incentives have been introduced to encourage childbearing by the Iran Welfare Organization and the Ministry of Health.

First, health care and medical benefits that are offered to childbearing mothers include:

Free or subsidized prenatal care. Public healthcare centers provide free or low-cost check-ups, lab tests, ultrasounds, and supplements (like folic acid and iron);

Insurance coverage: Most health insurance plans cover the majority of pregnancy-related expenses, including delivery (normal and cesarean)

Significant strides have been made in infertility treatment. Today, 100 percent of infertility treatment costs are covered by health insurance, and Iran has emerged as a regional leader in this field. Under certain programs, especially for low-income families, a monthly allowance is provided for children; and

Maternal health programs: Government health centers offer maternal training and support (breastfeeding, infant care, etc.).

Secondly, maternity leave and workplace rights:

Maternity leave: Women are entitled to 9 months (270 days) of paid maternity leave, fully covered by social security.

Job security: Iranian labor law ensures a woman’s right to return to her job after maternity leave, and

Reduced working hours: In some sectors, pregnant women may receive reduced working hours or lighter duties.

Despite being offered incentives to encourage childbearing in line with the youth population law, the desired growth in the youth population has not been accomplished yet. It is one of the most important challenges facing the country.

According to the latest census, the number of aged citizens in the country is growing by 3.62 percent, which is five times faster than the total population growth rate, which is 1.24 percent. For the time being, elderly women account for 52.3 percent of the total population, outnumbering men (47.7 percent).

The aging of individuals signifies increased life expectancy. However, population aging demonstrates a shift in the distribution of a country’s population towards older ages, which is not a favorable indicator.

MT/MG