Failure of the 'Population Youth' Law; Statistics on 'Legal Abortions' Remain Unchanged

A member of the Cultural Commission of the Parliament, referring to the high prevalence of abortion in the country, stated that 'according to the Youth Population Law, abortion medication should only be distributed in hospitals with legal permission, and any violation will lead to the revocation of the licenses of medical centers or drug sellers.' Amirhossein Bankipour told the government news agency ILNA that 'more than a thousand abortions' are performed daily in the country and emphasized that 'the stigma of abortion in society has been broken' and 'quick access to abortion medication is even faster than baby formula.' This member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly pointed out that despite the implementation of the 'Youth Population Law,' the statistics on legal abortions have not changed, stating: 'Despite strict laws, the statistics on legal abortions have not changed, and illegal abortions continue to thrive due to easy access to medication' and what he calls 'cultural weakness.' Bankipour stressed 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 virtual networks, is essential.' This member of the Cultural Commission of the Parliament discussed the 'increase in fertility rates' in 15 provinces of the country, stating that 'although changes in the population growth curve are evident' and the decline in fertility rates has been halted, there is still a 'long way to go' to reach the desired target. Bankipour claimed that to prevent a population aging crisis, 'this rate must reach 2.5% in the next five years,' warning that if this goal is not achieved, the country will enter an 'irreversible black hole of population aging.' This member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, referring to the problems people face in obtaining facilities such as childbearing loans, marriage, and land, suggested that if executive agencies recognize the importance and priority of the Youth Population Law and take it seriously, there is a possibility of resolving the population crisis. Previously, the commander of the 'Sayyid al-Shuhada' Corps in Tehran announced the identification of unauthorized abortion centers in Tehran province by security agencies and stated that dealing with these centers is on the agenda under the 'Nafas Plan.' According to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Mohammad Qurban Valizadeh stated that in the 'Youth Population Headquarters,' we need 'a lot of effort, and obstacles must be removed through the efforts of the agencies.' Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij Organization, also stated on December 1 that 'currently, 200 cultural anti-abortion centers have been established across the country by the Basij Organization, and this number will increase to 300 by the end of the year.' According to Soleimani, over 70,000 infertile couples have been covered, and it is planned that one and a half million couples will benefit from the services of this plan over the next five years. The crackdown on abortion was initiated following Ali Khamenei's emphasis on the necessity of increasing the population in Iran. Khamenei's approach to the issue of population growth ultimately led to the announcement on August 6 of this year by the head of the 'Youth Population, Family Health, and Schools' center of the Ministry of Health about 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 involved in illegal activities related to abortion. The 'Family Support and Youth Population Law' was enacted in November 2021. Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, stated in December 2013 during a meeting with members of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, 'One of the dangers that, when a person thinks deeply about it, makes their body tremble, is the issue of population.' The Deputy for Women in the government of Pezeshkian considers 'childbearing' essential. The IRGC announced the identification of abortion centers and the arrest of their agents. Concerns of those responsible for 'Youth Population' about the increase in 'abortion.'