RNA – In an interview with Rasa News Agency, Ayatollah Habibollah Mehmannavaz, the representative of the people of North Khorasan province in the Assembly of Experts, discussed the need to encourage families in this north-eastern province and throughout Iran to have more children.
“When the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution [Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei] travelled to North Khorasan province in October 2012, he clearly told the people of this province that the policies which encouraged having few children were a mistake,” His Eminence remarked.
“During this meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned that for years, the managers of this country and himself believed that regulating and reducing one’s family size was a good thing, but now we must turn away from this view and change our policies,” Ayatollah Mehmannavaz added, referring to previous policies in regard to family planning in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“In order to implement this command, the Iranian government must provide better economic conditions and living conditions to encourage childbearing. We also must try to change the culture in this regard. The previous stance propagated in Iran was that the culture of having fewer children was better for one’s life. This view found roots among the people. However, we must strive to change this culture and activity and promote the idea that having more children is better,” he emphasized.
Ayatollah Mehmannavaz referred to the consequences of restricting population growth and its affects on the country and the Islamic system of governance, saying: “Planning and policymaking should be such that Muslims and [especially] Shi’ites do not become a minority in the future.”
According to him, Iran’s workforce is one of its most important assets. If the culture and practices of small families and Iran’s low population do not change, in the not too distant future, Iran will face a shortage of young workers.
Referring to the duty of various institutions in this regard, Ayatollah Mehmannavaz pointed out that the parliament has a duty to carry out the necessary work to implement and change laws and regulations to those which help increase Iran’s population. The government must also pursue the implementation of programs and the eliminate any barriers to them.
He said that in addition to the parliament and the government, as well as other institutions and departments, are tasked with implementing these laws and programs. Ayatollah Mehmannavaz explained that in the past several years Iran went the wrong way and the various institutions and now departments must cooperate and coordinate to help direct the country on the right direction. “One department should not be expected to implement these plans while the others are passive. We need to achieve the desired goals to increase our population,” he concluded.
111/112