Need to Increase Population Underlined

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Wednesday called for policies and incentives that would boost fertility rates in the country. 
“One of the most essential duties of authorities and individuals is to strive for population increase, rejuvenating the country’s human capital and supporting families,” Ayatollah Khamenei was quoted as saying by Leader.ir. 
The statement was read out in a meeting on Wednesday morning by the secretary of the National Population Taskforce, Kazem Foroutan.
“This is a critical policy for the long-term future of our beloved nation,” the statement said. 
The Leader also thanked officials who are seeking solutions for Iran’s ageing population by revising policies and trying to boost fertility rates. 
Some 12 million of Iran’s population between the ages of 15 and 45 are currently single, according to the head of the National Institute for Population Research, Masoud Alami.  
“Iran’s median age will rise to 48 in the next 30 years… this means four in every 10 persons will be old,” he pointed out. 
Iran’s population could be among the oldest in the world in three decades. 
“Currently, the fertility rate in our country is under 2, meaning 1.7 or 1.8 children per woman,” Alami said, adding that, “This means there is no substitute for every man and woman in the population.”
He noted that 88% of single young men and women are willing to get married. The government has banned most contraceptives to reverse the low fertility rate.