Baku, Azerbaijan, May 5
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran should seriously pursue the issue of reproduction to increase its population, the country's Supreme Leader has said.
It is vital for Iran to prevent population aging, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, Iranian IRNA news agency reported on May 5.
Khamanei made the remarks in a meeting with members of Iran's Society of Midwifes in Tehran on the International Day of Midwife.
The Supreme Leader went on to say that the country can not made progresses without a young population.
"I appreciate efforts of midwives who play a key role in mothers and babies' health", Khamenei said, adding that fertility programs should be promoted in the country.
Iran has started to review its contraception plans in recent years. In October, Khamenei condemned the country's policy on contraception, saying it too closely reflected western lifestyles. Iran's family-planning program went largely unchallenged until former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad began to criticize the "Two children are enough" slogan.
In April of 2010, he also said that "the country has the potential for a population of 150 million." Later the Supreme leader made similar statements, saying that a population of 150 million to 200 million as ideal.
The Iran's administration has curbed the government budget for family planning.