Closure of Clinic, Arrest of Doctor and Secretary for Illegal Abortion

The public prosecutor of Rey County has announced the identification and sealing of a clinic due to "illegal abortion" in the county, stating that "during an operation," a doctor, a secretary, and an assistant were arrested. The Mehr News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Propagation Organization, quoted Mahdi Rahimi as saying: "This location has been identified and sealed with the order of the prosecutor's office and the cooperation of the Ministry of Health's inspection." Recently, a member of the Cultural Commission of the Parliament mentioned the high prevalence of abortion in the country, stating that "more than a thousand abortions" are performed daily. Amirhossein Bankipour emphasized the need for cultural efforts to prevent the spread of abortion, stating that "legal action against those involved in this issue, from doctors and midwives to drug sellers and social media networks, is essential." Previously, the commander of the Seyed al-Shohada Corps in Tehran announced the identification of unauthorized abortion centers in Tehran Province by security agencies and stated that action against these centers is on the agenda as part of the "Nafas Plan." Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij Organization, also stated on December 1 that "currently, 200 cultural centers combating abortion have been established by the Basij Organization in the country, and this number will increase to 300 by the end of the year." The crackdown on abortion follows Ali Khamenei's emphasis on the necessity of increasing the population in Iran. Khamenei's approach to population growth ultimately led to the announcement by the head of the "Youth Population, Family Health, and Schools" center of the Ministry of Health on August 6 of this year regarding the formation of the "Nafas Group" to combat abortion in 250 counties in Iran. The judiciary of the Islamic Republic also announced in 2022 that it would identify and interrogate individuals illegally involved in abortion-related activities. The "Family Support and Youth Population" law was issued in November 2021. Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, stated in December 2013 during a meeting with members of the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council: "One of the dangers that makes a person shudder when they think deeply about it is the issue of population." The issue of abortion and women's rights over their bodies during Trump's second term; explanations by Naderah Shamloo. The failure of the "Youth Population" law; statistics on "legal abortions" have not changed. The expansion of "surrogacy" in metropolitan areas, without guarantees for "women's health." The IRGC announced the identification of abortion centers and the arrest of their agents. Concerns of "Youth Population" officials regarding the increase in "abortions." An official from the Ministry of Health reported the registration of at least a thousand abortions per day.