The Highest Divorce Rate in Iran's History Recorded

According to statistics published by the Civil Registration Organization of Iran, in the year 1396 (2017), with 175,000 recorded separations, the divorce rate in Iran has set a 'record'. Based on these statistics, the number of registered marriages in the past year decreased by nearly eight percent (51,000 cases) compared to the year 1395 (2016). The number of marriages in 1396 was reported to be 609,000. Meanwhile, the divorce rate during this period reached approximately 175,000 cases, which, according to the website Entekhab, is 'the highest recorded in the history of Iran.' The website added that 'thus, the ratio of divorces to registered marriages in one year has reached 29 percent, the highest rate in the history of the Civil Registration Organization of Iran since 1344 (1965).' The divorce statistics in Iran have shown an upward trend since the beginning of the 1370s (1990s), but from the early 1380s (2000s), coinciding with an increase in the number of marriages primarily involving those born in the 1360s (1980s), the number of divorces also increased. As Entekhab reported, this increase reached a point where in 1385 (2006), the number of divorces was more than double that of 1375 (1996). Since 1389 (2010), coinciding with the beginning of a decrease in marriage statistics, the number of divorces in Iran has continued to rise. In Mordad 1396 (August 2017), the head of the Welfare Organization of Iran announced a rise in the divorce rate among female heads of households, stating that in 1395 (2016), for every four marriages, one divorce was also recorded. According to Anoushiravan Mohseni Bandpay, divorces among female heads of households increased by 57 percent from 1385 to 1391 (2006-2012). The Mehr News Agency also reported in Dey 1395 (December 2016), citing statistics from the Civil Registration Organization of Iran, about the increase in divorces and the decrease in marriages, stating that 20 divorces are registered in Iran every hour. According to this organization’s statistics, the divorce rate over the past decade has significantly increased compared to marriage statistics. In Dey of last year, a judiciary official reported that 'mutual divorce' was among the 'top 10 requests' processed in Iranian courts. Simultaneously, the spokesperson for the Civil Registration Organization also stated that the divorce rate in the country has increased. Ali Asghar Rafahi, the director general of crime prevention in the judiciary, announced that among the top 10 requests processed in courts, 'mutual divorce ranks eighth and the demand for dowry ranks ninth.' The spokesperson for the Civil Registration Organization of Iran also stated that 'the divorce rate over the past five years has risen from 1.9 to 2.1.' Seyfollah Abutalebi added that '133,366 cases of divorce have been registered in the Civil Registration database.' He also announced that the average duration of marriage for separated couples in the first nine months of 1396 was '9 years.' According to the spokesperson for the Civil Registration Organization of Iran, '67 percent of divorces had a marriage duration of less than 10 years, and in 45 percent of divorces, the marriage lasted less than 5 years.' According to Iranian news agencies, several experts identify economic factors as the most significant reason for the decrease in marriages and the increase in divorce rates in the country, while others consider lifestyle changes as a major factor contributing to these phenomena. Habibollah Hasani, the head of the Association of Marriage and Divorce Registrars in Iran, stated on 26 Farvardin (April 15, 2017), in addition to economic and employment issues, factors such as haste in marriage, addiction, and family interference have also contributed to the increase in divorce rates in Iran.