The Wobbly Wheel of Population Growth Policy; Emphasis on 'Childbearing' Under the Shadow of 5 Million Toman Pacifiers

The Islamic Republic government is pursuing population growth and promoting 'childbearing' while media reports indicate that purchasing 'baby gear' has become one of the parents' fears, stating that prices are no longer affordable, with two pacifiers selling for 5 million tomans. Media outlets have reported that the price of baby bottles ranges from 120,000 tomans to 1.5 million tomans, and for baby body lotion, prices can reach up to 8 million tomans. The 'Hamshahri Online' website noted on December 12 that many infant healthcare items that cannot be found in pharmacies are available in baby gear stores, online shops, websites, and startups. This media outlet, affiliated with the Tehran municipality, emphasized that prices in the baby gear market depend on the dollar exchange rate. The higher the dollar rate, the higher the prices of these items. 'Hamshahri' reported that the price of a pair of foreign pacifiers from the American brand 'Dr. Brown's' ranges from 450,000 tomans to 1,100,000 tomans in the market. Besides the high prices of baby gear, recent months have seen issues such as shortages of baby formula and diapers becoming major problems for families. In this regard, the 'Hamshahri' newspaper reported on November 13 that baby diapers from certain brands have become scarce in the market, and their prices have increased. According to media reports in recent weeks, the prices of some brands of baby diapers have risen, selling from 170,000 tomans to 261,000 tomans. The 'Arman' newspaper reported on November 14 that the costs of 'childbearing' in Iran have skyrocketed, estimating that the minimum cost for having a child from pregnancy to one month old is around 100 million tomans, while the maximum cost is estimated to be up to 300 million tomans, potentially increasing to 400 million tomans. The 'Noor News' website, close to the Iranian National Security Council, previously confirmed the baby formula crisis, stating that the shortage of baby formula in the market has become one of the most significant problems for families with young children in recent weeks. The Islamic Republic has been pursuing a policy of encouraging 'childbearing' and population growth more vigorously in recent years, with Ali Khamenei's emphasis on it causing all institutions, including the health and treatment network, to change their policies to achieve this directive. Despite the measures and emphasis placed, economic difficulties and the hardening of living conditions in Iran have hindered the formation of shared lives and 'childbearing'. The heavy consequences of stagflation; confirmation of widespread buying and selling of 'marriage loans' by a government official. Issuance of an 'indictment' for a doctor in Yazd for providing 'tools' for abortion. Twelve million singles in Iran; increasing age of marriage and the ineffectiveness of population growth policies. Consequences of housing inflation; decrease in 'marriage', decline in birth rates. Marriage in the style of the Islamic Republic; starting a shared life with 26 million toman installments. Management crisis in Iran; baby formula is smuggled by renting out newborns' birth certificates.